


Cherry's Adventures of the Princess and the Frog

by PerkyGoth14



Category: The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-05-31 07:27:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 27,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6461242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darla's long-lost biological grandmother stops by for a visit to meet her long-lost orphaned granddaughter. It is a wonderful and surprising visit, however, Darla becomes very sick when she seems to be fading away from existence for some reason. Cherry and Atticus must go back in time and make sure nothing from the past to save Darla or else she will never be born.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Darla felt licking against her dimpled cheek and she slowly woke up and shook her head. "Ugh..." she held her head.

"Are you okay, Darla?" Emily asked her adoptive daughter. "That was some fall you had..."

"I had this weird dream..." Darla mumbled. "This lady came to the door and said she was my grandmother."

"Oh, that wasn't a dream, dear." Emily said.

"Huh?" Darla asked.

"Come on, let's get you to the couch..." Cherry helped Darla up. "Up and at 'em..."

Darla rolled to her feet and shakily walked to the couch and plopped herself down on it, she then rubbed her eyes. "Okay... What's happening...?"

"Come in, Mrs. Beaumont." Patrick told the blonde woman who had come to their door.

The elderly woman nodded and came in, smiling to Darla. "I told you I was your grandmother and you passed out, deary."

"So it really wasn't a dream." Darla said.

"No, it wasn't... You probably don't remember me that much... Let's start over..." the woman said, patting Darla on the head. "My name is Charlotte Beaumont and I'm your grandmother on your father's side."

"Yeah?" Darla asked.

"Yes, I am," Charlotte smiled back, though softly. "We met on your first birthday, your family was very poor, I always offered to give money to the family, but your parents asked for so little... I was so devastated to hear about the incident when you were four and I've been trying to track you down ever since. I thought maybe you'd be happier since the people told me you had gotten adopted and I thought it was a strange coincidence or a dream, but I knew it was you once I heard about you being a movie star, that it was you. You look so much like me when I was a little girl."

"R-Really?" Darla smiled.

"Oh, yes..." Charlotte said to her. "I heard about that incident you caused..."

"Oh, yeah, that..." Darla looked down at the floor softly.

"That was really bad of you, dear..." Charlotte only slightly scolded.

"I know..." Darla sighed, then looked back up. "I'm really sorry for it, but I don't think anyone will listen to me... I have a better life here though, Atticus's family treats me like one of their own."

"It's true, we really do treat like one of the family." Emily smiled.

"I'm glad you've found a place to call home after that nasty stage flooding..." Charlotte smiled to her biological granddaughter. "I guess you'll live here instead of me and your grandfather..."

Darla pouted then. Was she meant to choose between her natural family and her new family that was more of a family to her than Hollywood was?

"I can let you think about it..." Charlotte suggested. "I'd just really like to get to know you better since I've only known you when you were a little baby."

"Thank you, Grandma." Darla said.

"Call me 'Nana'," Charlotte preferred. "It makes me feel like a youthful grandmother."

Darla giggled. "Nana..." she repeated, liking how that sounded as well.

"I'm sure we could work something out..." Charlotte patted her curly blonde hair. "Maybe tonight I could tell you a story."

"Yes, please, Nana." Darla smiled.

Emily and Patrick started to make dinner then. Darla was looking at her school assignment again to write about her family. Now that her grandmother was here, she felt even more lost. She also felt a little dizzy.

"I guess liking pink and being blonde runs in the family..." Cherry joked as she came into the living room with Atticus.

Atticus was about to say something, but rushed to the little girl. "Darla, are you okay?"

Cherry ran over too to possibly help.

"I-I feel all dizzy all of a sudden." Darla said while holding her head.

Cherry put her hand against Darla's forehead. "There isn't a flu bug or anything at school, is there?"

"N-Not that I'm aware of." Darla groaned.

"She looks sick..." Cherry was worried for Darla now.

Darla's eyes were very widened right now. Everybody kept calling her name which made her violently shake and she seemed very unwell right now.

"I don't know why, but this makes me think of when I was with Marty," Cherry spoke up. "We accidentally went back to when his parents first met, but his parents almost didn't fall in love because something changed the past and Marty felt really sick and fell on the floor and almost disappeared from existence..."

"Wait, then, maybe that's what's happening now." Atticus said.

"What could be happening though?" Cherry asked.

"Someone's changing the past..." Atticus suggested, helping Darla lay down on the couch so she wouldn't fall off the edge.

"I don't feel so good..." Darla moaned.

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed, she then looked to her best friend. "Atticus, does Darla still have that picture of her with her parents before she got adopted?"

"Yeah, it's still in her room." Atticus said.

"Go get it and quick!" Cherry urged him.

Atticus ran upstairs then to Darla's room, once he found the picture he gave it right back. Cherry took the photograph and took a look at it. It appeared to show Darla's biological parents, but her father seemed to be slowly disappearing off the photograph.

"It's like he's being erased." Atticus said.

"Erased from existence." Cherry looked back.

"Who's being erased from existence?" Patch asked once came in.

"Darla is." Cherry said, bending down.

"But how?" Patch asked.

"That's what we need to find out..." Cherry said. "Guys, my Uncle Emmett warned me and Marty that time travel is dangerous, but we have to go back in time and save Darla's life or else she'll be gone forever and won't exist anymore!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's find a way to time travel!" Patch insisted.

Cherry looked to Darla as she looked more and more sick. "I know we're saving her life, but I think she should come with us... We'll find out our progress if she comes back healthy or not."

Atticus actually agreed, he wrapped a blanket around Darla and carried her in his arms. Darla frowned in her blank state and hugged her arms around his neck.

"Come on!" Cherry ran out of the house to help them time travel.

"Where are we going?!" Patch asked while running.

"Forte has a time travel watch, it can take you anywhere, anytime, anyplace!" Cherry said.

"Doesn't your uncle have his own time machine?" Atticus asked.

"It was destroyed after Uncle Emmett met Clara and decided to stay in the Wild West," Cherry explained. "I was in it with Marty, but we ended up on the train tracks back home and a train destroyed it just as we got out of it. It was really intense."

"Yikes." Patch said with widened eyes.

"Yeah, try being in there when it happened..." Cherry said back.

Forte had been gone for a while for personal business, but he left Cherry the key to the church if she needed any reason to go there. She unlocked the door and came into the church as it was dark and cold. Darla gently shivered, but kept holding onto her brother as she was quite ill from the past being changed.

"Hopefully while we're in the past, at least for a little while, Darla will be restored like nothing happened." Cherry said as she grabbed the box that was by the organ bench and she opened it, finding several sheets of paper with a few other treasures.

"Cool." Patch smiled.

"So, Darla will be okay in the past?" Atticus asked.

"Mostly yes, but we'll still need to fix this problem by the time it fractures the past before Darla disappears from existence." Cherry said, then found the watch. "Aha! Now... Where do we go?"

"I think Darla's grandmother said she was from New Orleans." Atticus suggested.

"Hopefully this'll be the right time, now, everybody hold on so we can all go at the same time together." Cherry warned as she set the watch for them to go forward to the past.

Atticus, Darla, and Patch all then huddled together with her. Once they were set, Cherry pushed the top, and they disappeared together in a beam of bright light. And where they would appear in the past.


	2. Chapter 2

Suddenly, they came to New Orleans as it was a warm summer evening. There was one star glowing brighter than the other stars. Cherry, Atticus, Patch, and Darla arrived in another glowing bright light and ended up outside a rich looking house. They looked around and overheard a grown woman reading aloud a story. They looked through the window and saw a woman fixing up a princess dress while there were two little girls on the floor, the blonde girl nearly looked just like Darla at that age.

"I think we went too far back..." Cherry said.

"Ya think?" Patch asked.

"'Just in that moment'," the adult woman continued to narrate as the little girls with her listened to the story. "'The ugly little frog and pleaded with his sad, round, eyes; 'Oh, please, dear princess. Only a kiss from you can break this terrible spell, that was influenced on me from an evil witch'.'"

"Here comes my favorite part..." the blonde girl whispered with a slight Southern drawl.

"Maybe we should go a little bit forward." Patch whispered.

"Hang on... Give it time to warm up... It gets like that sometimes..." Cherry mumbled so they wouldn't be seen.

They decided they might as well watch what was going on until the watch would take them back to the proper place in time.

"'And the beautiful princess was so moved by his desperate plea'," the woman narrated once more. "'That she stooped down, picked up the stinky creature, leaned forward'..."

The blonde girl who they all assumed was Charlotte as a little girl leaned forward with excitement while the other girl in high pigtails in a green dress and golden crown leaned forward with disgust.

"And kissed the ugly little frog!" the woman finished the anticipation for the little girls.

"Yuck!" Patch whispered.

"I never liked that story much..." Cherry grumbled.

The pig-tailed girl actually looked repulsed while the blonde girl cheered. 

"Read it again, read it again, read it again!" the blonde girl begged the woman.

"Sorry, Charlotte, but it's time for us to be heading home," the woman smiled apologetically to the princess girl. "Say good night, Tiana."

"There is no way," the other girl, Tiana, spoke with sassiness. "In this whole wide world, I would ever, ever I mean never kiss a llama! Yuck!"

"Is that so?" the blonde girl smirked before putting a sock over the fragile white cat to chase the other girl with. "Here's your Prince Charming, Tia, come on, kiss!"

"Yep, that's Darla's grandmother alright." Atticus whispered.

Darla moaned softly and coughed, she seemed to be getting her natural skin back and not look so pale, but she still looked weak. She would brighten up in the right destination once they would get there, but still had to wait for the watch to warm up.

The woman made the girls stop 'tormenting the poor kitty' and eventually, a man in a golden and white suit with scarlet hair and a curled mustache arrived at the door. "Evening, Eudora." 

"Daddy, Daddy!" Charlotte ran to her father and picked up the frilly skirts. "Look at my dress, isn't it pretty?"

"She looks, um....." Patch whispered, not finding what to say about the dress.

Darla's eyes weakly opened and she smiled at the dress. "Aww... I want one!" she pouted in jealousy.

"Well, look at you," the large man picked up his daughter with a smile. "Why I'd expect nothing less from the finest seamstress in New Orleans?"

"I want that one there!" Charlotte pointed to the dress in The Frog Prince book that the princess was wearing. "Please, please, please, please!"

"Umm... Eudora?" the man asked as Charlotte was sprawling around in her father's grip and pulled on his mustache even. "You suppose you could come up with something like that?"

"Anything for my best customer." Eudora replied with a smile as she stood next to a lot of other purple dresses she had made for the blonde girl in the past.

This caused for young Charlotte to cheer again.

Darla scoffed. "Spoiled, much?" 

Cherry scoffed back. "Hypocritical much?"

"Says the one that use to be a spoiled movie star brat." Patch whispered to Darla.

"That.... That's different..." Darla folded her arms with a sharp glare.

Eudora was about to leave with Tiana then out the front door. Cherry, Atticus, Patch, and Darla then hid away as the mother and daughter were on their way out for the evening.

"Now, Princess, you're getting the dress, now that's it," the man set his daughter down on her princess bed. "No more, Mr. Pushover, now who wants a puppy?" he then took out a brown puppy who panted and looked excited.

"I do, I do, she's so cute!" Young Charlotte cheered excitedly.

"No more Mr. Pushover, huh?" Darla scoffed quietly.

Tiana could had sworn she heard voices and was about to check them out.

"Tia!" Eudora called to her daughter.

Tiana turned back, she looked curiously at the back, but she took her mother's hand and followed her on their way home.

"Okay, we're in business." Cherry said once the watch was ready and she set it at a later time for them to travel by.

"Okay, set it for a few years later." Atticus whispered.

"How many?" Cherry asked.

Darla shrugged. "At least twenty."

Cherry shrugged, she set the watch, and they all joined together, disappearing again, further into the future, but still in the distant past before they were all even born. And where hopefully they wouldn't be appear, landing on their butts.

They all landed on top of each other in the middle of the street instead just as it seemed like the day was going to get started. There were musicians all over the place however, playing all sorts of jazz music. There was a man who was acting like a magician on the streets to entertain the kids which seemed to get the attention mostly from the very shy and quiet boy who seemed like any other face in the crowd.

Cherry looked to him though. "Isn't that...? Nah, it couldn't be.... Could it?"

"It might be." Atticus's voice said.

"I kinda wanna find out, but... I dunno... We're on a mission..." Cherry said.

"Worry about it later..." Atticus took her away from the crowd of kids.

One of the young girls they accidentally spotted on their previous time travel was now older and appeared to be in a rush somewhere. 

Darla looked healthy again and was able to walk out on her own, she then looked to the house they were before and saw the man coming with his now older daughter. "There's Nana Charlotte!" she pointed to get Cherry, Atticus, and Patch's attention.

"Yeah, that's her." Patch said.

Charlotte was given a newspaper which made her squeal in delight as the car drove them off down the streets.

"She's so beautiful..." Darla cooed. "I hope I look just like her when I'm all grown up."

"I'm sure you will, Darla." Atticus smiled.

Darla giggled.

"Come on, we better find out where they're going!" Cherry ran after the car.

Atticus, Darla, and Patch then ran with her, passing several people who seemed to be busy or just having a good time.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello, kids," a man with a top hat in a suit-like outfit with purple eyes smirked to them as he sat behind a table. "Can I interest y'all in a little parlor trick?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but no thank you." Atticus said.

"Won't take long..." the man insisted.

"Sorry, we're kind of in a rush, maybe another time." Cherry said as they ran.

Darla looked to the man and looked a little shaky around him for some reason.

"Just look away from the man." Atticus and Patch said while leading her away from the man with the top hat.

Darla tried to keep up, something about the man made her feel weak.

Patch caught up to the car faster, due to being a dog and they liked chasing cars sometimes. "I just love chasing cars!" he cheered.

"Dogs..." Cherry rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Daddy, stop the car a minute..." the blonde woman said.

The man nodded to his daughter and stopped the car. "What is it, Lottie?"

"I thought I heard somethin'..." Charlotte looked around, curiously.

"Uh-Oh, I better stop talking around people." Patch whispered.

Charlotte looked around. Patch rushed back to Cherry, Atticus, and Darla.

Charlotte looked back, the three humans gave a wave, she waved back and then shrugged to her father. "Must be hearin' things with all the excitement today."

'Excitement?' Patch thought to himself with a smile.

A man finished reading his paper and tossed it in the trash as he was on his way to catch a trolley.

Cherry took out the paper and saw the front headline. "Prince Naveen visits from Maldonia."

"Where's Maldonia?" Darla asked.

"It's a Eurasian monarch country," Cherry explained. "It's like around Europe and Asia."

"Cool." Darla smiled.

Cherry, Atticus, Darla, and Patch then carefully and quietly followed the car as it was driving to wherever it was headed.

"I'll be a minute, Daddy, I just need a moment alone..." Charlotte smiled, engrossed by the newspaper.

The man chuckled. "Okay, pumpkin, I'm gonna head right in." he said to his grown daughter before going into the diner they had stopped the car at.

"Let's go inside, I'm starving." Patch whispered.

"You're always starving." Cherry said.

Patch forced out a laugh and walked with them into the diner.

Darla couldn't help but stop and stay as she looked to her future grandmother. Charlotte smiled at the paper, but felt herself being watched, and looked to see Darla. Darla gasped and ducked down, but it was too late, she had been spotted.

"Um... Can I help you, dear?" Charlotte asked.

"Um... Uhh... You just... Look so beautiful..." Darla covered up with a nervous smile.

"Oh, thank you, dear." Charlotte smiled.

"I wanna look just like you when I grow up..." Darla cooed.

"You're so sweet..." Charlotte smiled to her. 

"Darla!" Cherry and Atticus whispered loudly, then gestured for her to go to them.

"But I..." Darla said, then sighed, giving in and walking over to them, leaving her future grandmother.

"What a sweet little angel." Charlotte smiled.

"She looks like my daddy when she smiles..." Darla said to Cherry and Atticus.

"Well, that shows that she's definitely the mother of your father." Atticus said.

"Yeah..." Darla sighed.

They came into the diner as the man who was Charlotte's father took a seat.

"He must be your great-grandfather," Cherry said about the large man who had an appetite for powdered sugary begets. "Do you know anything about him?"

"Just that he and Nana Charlotte were rich, but somehow, Daddy got dirt poor..." Darla shrugged.

"Oh, my..." Patch frowned.

"I don't know how it happened..." Darla rubbed her arm. 

Tiana came over to the quartet in her waitress uniform. "Welcome to Duke's, may I have you at a table or a booth?"

"Table please." Atticus said.

"Come right this way, my name is Tiana, you may call me 'Tia', and I'll be your server today." the waitress led them in to a table, giving them glasses of ice water to start out with and handed their menus. 

Patch poked his head out, smiling nervously.

"Hi, there, boy!" Tiana patted the puppy on the head. "What a little cutie you are!"

"His name is Patch." Atticus said.

"That's a nice name..." Tiana patted him, then whispered to Atticus. "Just make sure he doesn't wander off, I won't tell nobody he's here."

"Thanks, Tia." Atticus gave a thankful smile.

"Now, what will we drink?" Tiana asked as she took out her notepad.

"Pink lemonade please." Darla requested.

"I'll take apple juice." Cherry added.

"Orange juice, please, and Patch will have water." Atticus said.

"Sounds good," Tiana smiled, taking their drink orders. "I don't think I've seen y'all around here before." she said before going off to give them their drinks once she would have them.

"We're new in town." Atticus told her.

"Welcome, you're just in time for Mardi Gras." Tiana smiled as she went to get their drinks.

"Mardi Gras?" Darla asked. "What's that?"

"It's kind of like a festival parade." Atticus said.

"It's huge in New Orleans," Cherry added. "I've never been, but it looks like we got a chance."

Tiana came back to their table with their drinks and got a bowl of water for Patch for him to lap from. "So, what would y'all like to eat now?" 

"These beginets look really good." Darla said once she spotted them on the menu and they attracted her hunger and attention the most.

"They're our best treat, for breakfast or any other meal of day." Tiana smiled.

"Four plates of beginets please." Atticus smiled.

"You won't be sorry." Tiana smiled and went to get their orders.

The four waited and wondered what their adventure would be as everything seemed peaceful and friendly so far. Tiana apologized to Cherry, Atticus, Patch, and Darla for missing them at times, but it seemed busy in Duke's diner, soon enough, she came to them with their orders and wished them happy eating. The man who was Charlotte's father came into the diner with a friendly smile.

"Um, excuse me, Tia, but who is that man?" Atticus asked.

"That's Eli LaBouff," Tiana quickly introduced. "He's my best friend Charlotte's daddy, he comes in here all the time."

"So, what does he do for a living?" Darla asked.

"I'm sorry, I have to get his order ready." Tiana dashed off.

The man greeted Tiana and took his seat.

"Congratulations on being voted king of Mardi Gras parade." Tiana told the man.

"Caught me completely by surprise for the fifth year in a row." Eli chuckled.

'Whoa, fifth year in a row? He must be lucky.' Patch thought to himself while eating the beginets on his plate.

"Now, how's about I celebrate with--" Eli was about to request what he wanted to eat.

"Beignets?" Tiana already came with the platter of the treats for him, already knowing he would want them. "Got a fresh batch just waiting for you."

"Well, keep 'em coming 'til I pass out." The man took one of the beignets with a joking smile about what he just said as his mouth watered over the freshness and powdered sugar and he bit into one.

Atticus, Cherry, and Darla did the same to see how good they tasted. Darla moaned and squealed in delight, loving the beginets more than the others did. She even hugged herself and licked off the powdered sugar off of the first one that stuck to her face. 

"Guess you like them." Cherry said as she took small bites so she wouldn't have a sugar rush.

"I can see why, these beginets are delicious." Atticus smiled.

"Yay, no chocolate!" Patch cheered, this meant he could keep eating without poisoning himself.

"Oh, Tia!" Charlotte slammed the door open in her Sunday best and looked like she was bursting with energy. "Tia, Tia, Tia, did you hear the news?" the blonde young adult woman went all around the young, stressed, waitress.

"Hey, Charlotte." Tiana greeted, sounding almost like she didn't care.

"Tell her, "Charlotte sat beside her father. "Oh, tell her, Big Daddy!"

'Whoa, it must be something really big.' Patch thought to himself.

Every time Eli tried to tell Tiana what was happening, Charlotte would keep bursting in due to her excitement being unable to be contained. Cherry, Atticus, Patch, and Darla overheard and they found out Prince Naveen was coming into town and the LaBouff family had invited him to their masquerade ball and staying at their house as their personal guest. 

"Oh, Lottie, that's swell," Tiana said as she got a new batch of beginets for the most important and rich man in town. "A little word of advice. My mother always said, 'the quickest way to a man's heart is his stomach'." She set the plate down for the LaBouffs.

"Ah, that's it!" Charlotte swiped one treat just as her father was about to eat it and came to her best friend's side. "Oh, Tia, you're just a bona fide genius! I'm gonna need about 500 of your man catching beignets for my ball tonight," she then turned to the quad that came into the diner. "And I'd like that little girl and her friends to come too, she's just the most adorable and sweetest little angel I've ever seen!"

"Oh, thank you." Darla smiled after finishing her beginets.

Atticus then came over to Tiana after cleaning his face and Darla's face from the powder and gave the waitress twenty dollars. 

"Oh, thanks a bunch!" Tiana was surprised at the money, it seemed like an awful lot, this was a different time after all. "Would you like change?"

"It's on me." Atticus insisted.

"Excuse me, Daddy," Charlotte took her father's wallet and took out more money. "Here, Tia, will this help cover it?"

"This should cover it just fine, Lottie," Tiana smiled as she noticed how much money was given to her. "This is it! I'm getting my restaurant!"

"Tonight, my prince is finally coming!" Charlotte gushed.

"So, where's this restaurant of yours going to be?" Atticus asked.

"Would ya like to come?" Tiana offered.

"Um, sure, why not?" Cherry shrugged.

Darla came over to Eli and took a look over to him and tilted her head, curiously.

"May I help you, dear?" Eli asked.

"Oh, uhh... I..." Darla stammered, unsure of what to say as an excuse.

Charlotte came behind Darla and hugged her. "Oh, Daddy, I just love this little girl, she's so sweet and adorable, she's like the little sister I've always wanted!"

"She does seem to have a little resemblance to you." Eli smiled at his daughter.

"You think so?" Charlotte asked. 

Darla hid a giggle to that. 

"Could they come to the party though, please, Daddy?" Charlotte begged, still sounding like a little girl.

"Well, alright." Eli said.

"Yay!" Charlotte squealed and hugged her father. "This day just keeps getting better and better!"

Cherry, Atticus, and Patch were on their way to following Tiana.

"Come on, Dimples!" Cherry called to Darla. "We got work to do!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming." Darla said.

Charlotte and Eli waved to the blonde girl as she went off. Darla smiled back to them, but followed her friends and family out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

"Can't wait to see the restaurant, I bet it's going to be amazing." Atticus smiled.

"I've been waiting for this for a really long time." Tiana smiled to her new friends as she led the way with her money ready to give to pay for her dream restaurant.

"Those beginets were really good..." Darla smiled. "Had to be the best thing I've ever tasted."

"They should be the restaurants special dish." Atticus smiled.

Patch barked, agreeing with Atticus.

"I'll see what I can do." Tiana giggled. "Okay, give me just one moment." she then said as they came in front of an old and abandoned sugar mill that was owned by the Fenner Brothers and she had to go speak with the men about buying the place so she could have her own cooking business.

"This is the restaurant that she's going to own soon?" Patch asked.

"Looks like it..." Atticus said.

"An old sugar mill?" Darla nearly rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess it'll look better once she pays the guys."

Eventually, Tiana came back outside with a very tall and thin man with a very short and fat man so they could remove their sign. 

"Everything looks peachy-keen, Mr. Fenner," Tiana said as the brothers lifted the sign and went off to dispose of it. "And Mr. Fenner..."

"We'll have all the paperwork ready to sign, first thing after Mardi Gras." the thin Mr. Fenner told her as the future restaurant owner was on her way inside.

"After?" Patch whispered. "Why don't they just sign the papers at the masquerade ball?"

"It's the biggest night of the year, everybody's too busy celebrating." Cherry said to the puppy.

"Ohh." Patch said.

Tiana walked back over to them. "I got them to sign at the ball."

"Oh, that was convenient." Patch whispered.

Tiana smiled as she felt like her dreams were coming true.

"Table for one, please." a familiar female voice to Tiana said.

"Who said that?" Darla asked.

"Oh, Mama!" Tiana turned and noticed an older woman with graying hair coming over with a pot wrapped in a red ribbon.

"Here's a little something to help you get started." Eudora lifted up the pot with a warm smile.

"Oh, Daddy's gumbo pot." Tiana put a hand over her heart with a smile. She then went over and hugged Eudora tightly.

"I know," Eudora patted her grown daughter's back and broke out of the hug gently. "I miss him, too."

Tiana sniffled and wiped an eye as she was remembering her father.

"Isn't her father coming too?" Darla asked.

"I'm afraid James can't be here, dear..." Eudora said softly. "Don't worry about him though, he's in a much better place right now."

"D-Do you mean he's...?" Darla asked, looking up into the sky.

"Yes, I'm afraid my daddy won't be in person to see this moment..." Tiana said softly.

"He must have been a great man and a great father." Atticus said.

"He sure was..." Tiana took a shallow breath.

"Well, now," Eudora changed the subject. "Hurry up and open the door!"

"Just look at it, Mom," Tiana opened the doors and showed what looked like a large, abandoned shack and birds scattered from the broken roof top. "Doesn't it just wanna make you cry?"

Eudora took a look and lowly replied so she wouldn't hurt her daughter's feelings. "Yes..."

"What do you guys think?" Tiana asked the kids and puppy.

"Um, well, it sure looks like it could use some sprucing up." Atticus said.

"The matrie'd is going to be right where you're standing," Tiana started planning as she took off her jacket and hat, going by a broom where the stairs were. "Oh! And over here, a gourmet kitchen! And hanging from the ceiling, a big, old, crystal chandelier!"

"You're your daddy's daughter alright," Eudora chuckled, walking over. "He used to go on and on about this old sugar mill too. Babycakes, I'm sure this place is going to be just wonderful, but it's a shame you're working so hard."

"But how can I let up now when I'm so close?" Tiana asked as she started sweeping. "I gotta make sure all Daddy's hard work means something."

"But he did have love and that's more important." Patch smiled.

Cherry, Atticus, and Darla smiled softly to this.

"Tiana," Eudora set the gumbo pot down on a dusty, old stool. "Your Daddy might not have gotten the place he always wanted, but he had something better. He had love." she then stroked her daughter's face with her hand. "And that's all I want for you, sweetheart, meet your Prince Charming and dance off into your happily ever after."

"Mama, I don't have time for dancing!" Tiana chuckled as she was about to sing. "That's just gonna have to wait a while~..."

"How long we talkin' about here?" Eudora asked.

"Ain't got time for messin' around..." Tiana said as she continued. "And it's not my style."

"I want some grandkids!" Eudora put her hands on her hips as she sat at one of the tables.

"Yeah, I don't think she can possibly wait forever." Darla added in.

Tiana was still determined to work hard so she could get what she wanted and she insisted that she was almost there.

"Maybe we can help out." Atticus said.

"I just don't want the poor dear to work herself to death." Eudora whispered.

"She won't, we assure you." Atticus assured her.

They all started to clean up and at least get rid of the clutter and debris from the mess that came with the sugar mill that would become Tiana's place in the near future.

"How come no one has ever cleaned this place?" Darla asked.

"It's been abandoned for a long time," Eudora explained. "Tiana's father wanted to buy it, but we could never afford it."

"Oh, my..." Darla frowned.

Patch even surprised Eudora and Tiana as he lent a helping hand, well, technically, helping paw as they were going to turn this old mill into a diner where people were going to come from everywhere. There was a lot to be done with the mill, but for right now, it just needed to be cleaning and there would be more work to do later, they still had a ball to go to by tonight. So far, Darla was bouncy and well, no longer feeling sick, but it was still early...

"Let's get ready for the ball!" Darla smiled.

"Come on then." Tiana agreed as she shut the door of her new property.

"So... Umm... What exactly is a masquerade ball?" Darla asked.

"It's a big party where you dress up as anything or anybody you want," Cherry explained. "Like a Halloween party."

"Awesome!" Darla smiled.

"I already know who I'm going as." Atticus smiled as well.

"I wanna dress up too!" Patch jumped up and down in excitement. "This party sounds awesome!"

"Did Patch just talk?" Tiana asked over hearing the dalmatian's excitement.

"Maybe." Cherry said with a small blink.

"Uh, anyway, let's get our costumes!" Darla changed the subject.

"Yeah." Atticus nodded.

"But where?" Cherry asked.

"Good question." Atticus said.


	5. Chapter 5

Cherry, Atticus, Darla, and Patch looked for a costume department. Cherry fell behind a little and tried to catch her breath and catch up with them at the same time. A little boy tugged on her shirt.

"Not now, sweetie..." Cherry said to the boy before noticing he looked a lot like someone she knew. "Oh, my..."

The little boy smiled to her and gestured for her to come to his stand.

"I'm sorry, I don't have time for--" Cherry was about to say.

The boy began to pull her over to his stand.

Cherry sighed and pulled up the stool that was in front of the stand and had a seat. "Okay, let's get this over with."

The boy took out a rubber red ball and showed it to her face. Cherry nodded to show she could see it. The boy then put the ball under a cup and started to spin the cups all around and smiled once he was done.

"Um... That one?" Cherry pointed to the cup in the middle.

The boy removed the cup to see if she had gotten it right. There was no ball though. The boy cupped his mouth and shook his head. Cherry then tried the cup on the right. The boy picked up the cup and fluttered his lips.

"Uhh... This one." Cherry pointed to the cup on the left.

The boy removed the cup, but still no ball, he then pouted and shook his head. He then grabbed his throat as he hiccuped and sounded like he was suffocating and then coughed roughly and took her hand, spitting up the ball in her hand and smiled with an eager nod.

"Whoa!" Cherry winced out of both disgust and amazement.

The boy smiled to her.

"Raymond!" an older female voice called. "Where are you!?"

The boy put his ball in his pocket, collected his cups, into a box that was scribble titled as a 'MAGIK KIT' and the boy ran off after clicking the box shut and rushed to his mother. 

"Wait!" Cherry called. "Where are you going!?" She then saw as the boy ran off to a lady that seemed to be looking for him.

"Raymond, there you are!" the woman hugged the boy. "You worried me sick!"

The boy frowned to his mother apologetically and nuzzled against her in the hug.

"Still giving the silent treatment, huh?" the woman sounded disappointed. "Honestly, boy, your father and I told you, if anything is bothering you, just tell us and we'll try to fix it, we'll believe you no matter what."

The boy slowly shook his head, looking like he was fearing for his mother's safety if he said anything.

"Oh, never mind, come on, your father's waiting." The woman told him.

The boy nodded and followed his mother, looking nervous as they ran into a butler who carried heavy bags while chasing after Prince Naveen as he was in casual clothes in order to blend into the crowd. The silent little boy looked around nervously, almost as if he had been haunted by something or someone, and stayed close to the childish comfort that was his mother's warmness and endless nurturing.

"That has to be him." Cherry said.

"Cherry?" Atticus called. "Cherry! Oh, there you are... Come on, let's go."

Cherry nodded to him and started to follow as she studied what she had discovered, but looked back to keep up with her friends.

"Where could we find costumes?" Patch asked.

"There's a place!" Darla pointed to a costume department that was across the street.

With that, they all went into the costume shop to hurry up and get costumes before the good ones would be gone for tonight.

"Busy day... I hope I don't miss my date with Miss Charlotte tonight," the worker man who was in a court jester costume panted, then smiled to the incoming group. "Can I help you all?"

"Yes sir, we're looking for costumes to wear for the masquerade ball tonight." Atticus said.

"Well, we got costumes of all kinds," the worker smiled. "We got animal suits, Medieval suits, magic suits, super suits, anything you can get your hands on and since it's Mardi Gras, there's a special discount! Just come see me if you find whatever you like."

"Do you have a Hercules costume?" Atticus asked.

"Check the back in Mythical and Supernatural, I'm positive I saw that earlier." the worker suggested.

"Thank you." Atticus smiled before running off to that very section.

Patch decided to go with him to find a Pegasus costume, only in dog size and in a way for him.

Darla looked at the princess dresses and loved every one of them. "They're all so lovely... Which is more like me?" she wondered as she saw the different kinds and options, unable to pick just one.

"Why not just close your eyes and follow your instincts?" Cherry suggested.

Darla shrugged and did as she said to find a dress that would make her stand out and feel like royalty in her wild and craziest little girl imagination.

Cherry hummed as she looked at the costumes. "What would be appropriate and fun enough to wear?"

"If you're the goth type, I'd go with the supernatural." The worker told her.

"Well, I am..." Cherry shrugged. "I'm a perky goth though... I like to save the dark and scary stuff for Halloween." 

"Well, what are some things you like?" the worker asked.

"Vampires, aliens, magicians..." Cherry shrugged.

"Oh, well then you should be able to find them in that section." The worker smiled.

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed as she looked for a costume that would strike her fancy. "These alien costumes are too goofy... These vampire costumes are too cliche..."

"You gonna be a magician then?" Patch asked.

"Eh... Might as well..." Cherry shrugged as she took a black suit that had a white collared shirt with a red tie and came with a shiny pair of black shoes.

"Great." Patch smiled.

"Found it!" Atticus called out.

"Does it come with a Pegasus costume?" Patch asked with high hopes.

"Yep, it sure does." Atticus smiled.

"Yay!" Patch cheered. "We can be Hercules and Pegasus."

Darla found a purple dress that didn't come with its own shoes for some reason and she wore her curls down. "Call me 'Darlpunzel'." she said with a giggle once she found the perfect princess dress.

Cherry tried on the magician suit costume and shrugged. "I'm cool with this."

"We'll have these costumes." Atticus smiled at the worker.

"Pleasure doing business with you all," the worker smiled as he ran their costumes in to give them their final total. "Are y'all heading to Big Daddy LaBouff's masquerade ball?"

"Yeah, are you going?" Darla asked.

"Why, of course I am," the worker chuckled. "Miss Charlotte's my date!"

"Cool." Darla smiled.

The worker handed them their costumes back. "That'll be $10.25 please."

Cherry took out her money and decided to pay for the costumes since Atticus paid for their breakfast.

"Have a wonderful day!" the worker cheered after they left. "See you tonight at the LaBouff house!"

"Back at ya!" Atticus smiled.

"Oh, I hope time passed by fast enough for us to go to the party..." Darla was eager and anxious about going to the ball tongiht that her childish impatience acted up and every minute that passed felt like at least an hour to her.

"Don't worry, the ball will be here soon." Atticus assured.

"Hello." A man's voice greeted.

The others looked around and turned to the source of the voice. And it belonged to the same man they met before.

"Can we help you?" Atticus asked.

"Erm... Hello..." Cherry greeted, pushing her glasses back. "Can we help you?"

"I just wanted to see if I can make a deal with y'all." The man said.

"Who are you?" Atticus asked.

The man handed his card.

Cherry took the card and adjusted her glasses to read it. "'Dr. Facilier: Tarot readings, charms, potions, dreams made real'..."

"Um, no thank you, sir, we like to make our dreams come true ourselves." Darla said.

Patch began barking at the man, not trusting him at all.

"Not too friendly, is he?" the man chuckled to Patch. "He'll warm up..." he then took out a random dog biscuit. "You want this, doggy? It's got extra bacon." 

"Are you bribing a dog?" Cherry looked in disbelief.

"Back off, buster!" Patch barked, surprising the man.

"Oh, well, your choice..." the man shrugged and stood up then. "Maybe I could interest y'all in something you may like... I always have a satisfied customer," he took Darla's hand and stroked his fingertips on her palm to read it like a psychic. "You all come here from far away, don't you?"

"H-How can you tell?" Darla asked.

"Oh... Just a lucky guess..." Dr. Facilier smirked. "Why don't you all just step into my little shop and we could maybe work something out?"

"No, thank you." Darla said, taking her hand back before hiding behind Atticus.

"We really must get going..." Cherry added. "There's a party and we wanna be ready for it."

"You seem familiar somehow..." Dr. Faciler looked to Darla. "Have we met, little lady?"

"No." Darla said.

"We really must be going." Atticus said.

Patch still growled to Dr. Faciler, having a strong feeling he was trouble. Atticus began to carry Darla away from this man, having a feeling that she was beginning to be too scared to move. Darla clung to her adoptive brother again.

"Don't you disrespect me, boys and girls!" Facilier demanded in a dark tone.

"Leave us alone!" Atticus told him as he shoved the man away with his full strength.

Dr. Faciler nearly was pushed back, but he didn't want to hear it. Cherry ran with them to get away from the man before he could go after them. However, it seemed as though a shadow grabbed them and threw them into Faciler's shop whether they wanted to or not.

"We told you to leave us alone!" Patch growled.

"I'm sorry, kids, but you have to understand," Dr. Faciler smiled darkly as he forced them to stay inside. "You're in my world now, not your world... And I got friends on the other side."

"He's got friends on the other side..." a voice repeated, seeming to come from nowhere.

"That's an echo, my friends," Dr. Facilier said as the door creaked open by magic and forced the four of them nside. "Just a little something we have here in Louisiana, a little parlor trick. Don't worry."

"This is seriously a waste of your time, we don't want anything you have to offer." Atticus glared.

"I insist..." Dr. Faciler wasn't going to let them go. "Sit down at my table, put your minds at ease, If you relax, it will enable me to do anything I please... I can read your future, I can change it round some too, I look deep into your heart and soul..." he then leaned over to Cherry with his walking stick as it glowed against her chest. "You do have a soul, don't you, Cherry? Make your wildest dreams come true, I got voodoo, I got hoodoo, I got things I haven't even tried, and I got friends on the other side..."

"He's got friends on the other side..." the voice said again.

"Might as well humor him..." Cherry scoffed with an eye roll.

"Fine." Atticus said while holding onto Darla's hand to make sure nothing bad happened to her.

Darla gently squeezed his hand, even if he wasn't her brother in reality, he was still the older brother she had always imagined of having and she would never ever replace him.

"The cards, the cards, the cards will tell; the past, the present and the future as well," Faciler said once he sat down in front of them with a mysterious deck of cards. "The cards, the cards, just take three, take a little trip into your future with me."

'This guy is up to something.' Patch thought to himself while picking three cards.

The others took their three cards.

"Now, shall we go ladies first?" Dr. Faciler chuckled.

Cherry and Darla gazed at him.

"O-Okay." Darla said, scared.

"Oh, dark and gloomy Cherry..." Dr. Facilier read the perky goth's history. "You feel like an outsider and thought you'd be better off alone... No one really understood you and you didn't know what else to do other than to put yourself in the distance and fade into the background and you felt like you didn't need nobody else in your life."

"Sometimes I just feel like I don't belong in this world..." Cherry shrugged.

"That's not true, Cherry; you do belong in this world." Darla said.

Cherry shrugged and shook her head. "I dunno..."

"You just wanna roam around to where you can be appreciated..." Dr. Faciler said. "You don't want to live in this world anymore... It will get better... Now for you, Blondie..."

"Me?" Darla asked.

"You have an interesting case..." Dr. Facilier looked to her cards. "You used to be pushed around all your life and you were alone and empty... Even after you finally got a warm home with a roof over your head, you were still unhappy... You had fame, fortune, and product endorsements, but something was missing..."

"Y-Yeah..." Darla remembered that.

"A family." Dr. Facilier said.

Darla rubbed her eyes as she seemed to have a small cry.

"You also wanna go back to Hollywood someday..." Dr. Facilier read her future. "But you're worried that those animals won't forgive you since you endangered their lives by flooding the stage. You just wanna be loved by all again, but since you were a spoiled, obnoxious, self-obsessed brat, you feel no one will want to bother with you ever again."

"Yes they will, Darla." Atticus assured her.

"How can you be so sure?" Darla asked her older brother.

"Because if they hold a grudge against you for what you did that long ago, then they have missed out on the most cutest adorable and best little girl/sister." Atticus told her while hugging her.

Darla blushed from those kind and thoughtful words and hugged him right back. 

"That was so sweet, it gave me diabetes." Cherry muttered.

"Now time for the boy and his puppy." Dr. Facilier said.

"Uh, what could you see in a puppy's past, present, and future?" Darla glanced at the strange man.

"Oh, trust me little lady, everyone and everything has a past, present, and future." Dr. Facilier told her.

"Good to know." Darla responded.

"You come from a very big family," Dr. Facilier said to Patch. "One of 101, that's gotta be 'ruff'..." he then made an incredibly lame pun with a light chuckle. "You just wanna become one of a kind and stand out from your brothers and sisters, so you met the one and only Thunderbolt and now you're a super puppy with your own brand of Puppy Power and you're going to be one fine adult dog someday."

"Wow, are you like some kind of psychic?" Patch asked.

"Now for you..." Dr. Facilier moved onto Atticus.

"This should be interesting." Cherry whispered to Darla.

"Yeah." Darla nodded.

"You're a very interesting young man," Dr. Faciler said to Atticus. "A good and trustworthy friend and family member... So sad to hear about you being kidnapped as a baby and dumped at an orphanage."

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me." Atticus groaned.

"Hmm..." Dr. Facilier hummed once he saw the rest of Atticus's past in the first card.

"What? What do you see?" Patch asked.

"What's it say, what's it say?" Darla and Cherry asked, coming to Dr. Facilier's side.

Atticus chewed on his fingertips a little nervously.

"It seems that you're also the nephew of the evil king King Sombra and that you are also a Wiccan." Dr. Facilier said.

"Mmm..." Atticus lowly squeaked.

"I'm dark and depressing and even I find Sombra terrifying." Cherry spoke up.

"Um, w-what does his second card show you?" Patch asked.

Dr. Faciler came to the present card. "Nothing much has changed, except that you can unleash the magic when provoked or corrupted by the dark magic inside of you, Atticus... Usually friendship or love can restore you..."

"That is true." Atticus said.

"Anything else?" Cherry asked Dr. Faciler.

Dr. Faciler soon turned over the final card to show two sides: one was showing Atticus in a shining light and the other was with him wearing the same crown as his Uncle Sombra.

Atticus looked nervous about that. "This can't be my future."

"Oh, but I'm afraid it is, boy." Dr. Faciler replied darkly.

"What does this one mean?" Darla asked.

"Your future is what you make it," Cherry said. "My Uncle Emmett told me that and there is no way Atticus is gonna turn to the dark side and betray us all!"

"This card is actually showing two possible futures." Dr. Faciler said.

"That's right and that one won't happen!" Cherry glared at the darker future.

"Oh, you sound so sure," Dr. Faciler smirked. "Atticus is the nephew of King Sombra."

"Wait, he said two possible futures; that means one of him not being like King Sombra and the other of him being just like King Sombra." Patch said.

"Exactly!" Cherry replied.

"You still sound so sure of yourself..." Dr. Faciler said.'

"Quit scamming us," Cherry folded her arms. "You can't fool us to think Atticus would turn dark."

"Can you tell us about what you see in one of his futures?" Darla asked.

"King Sombra will keep feeding off as long as Atticus is still alive, even further down the family tree and might even try to track down his future son." Dr. Faciler said.

"Future son?" Atticus smiled nervously.

"Yes," Dr. Faciler smirked. "But let's continue on, shall we?"

Atticus gripped his collar nervously.

"What else is in store for us then?" Darla firmly demanded.

"Let us take a look into your past, present, and future then, my dear." Dr. Faciler said.

"Try me." Darla challenged.

"Let's see..." Dr. Faciler looked at the first card. "It shows here that you were once a princess in your own way. You lived atop a hill in a glittering castle and there you had a servant who kept your castle in order. You had fame, fortune, and product endorsements, but you were not what you seemed."

"Not really." Darla admitted.

"What else do you see?" Patch asked.

"You seem to be happy with your new family, or are you...?" Dr. Faciler asked.

"Get to the point!" Darla glared.

"Ah, you still have rage about your former self and how you were when you were a movie star." Dr. Faciler smirked at her anger.

"That's true." Darla nodded.

"But what does your future hold for you?" Dr. Faciler asked. "What if you became rich again?"

Darla tilted her head curiously.

"So rich that you live in Paris and you are as famous in the fashion world as Coco Chanel." Dr. Faciler continued.

"Can you show us what it shows in the last two cards?" Darla asked.

Dr. Facilier shuffled his cards and showed the two cards as the blonde girl had requested.

"They look promising." Patch smiled.

Darla smiled to the good ones, then saw a small blonde child who looked a lot like a mini version of Darla, only the hair was styled differently and she appeared to wear black and white clothes with a pink bow in her hair. "Is... Is that my daughter...?"

"Yes." Dr. Faciler smirked.

"Oh, she's beautiful..." Darla smiled at her future daughter. "I bet she's as precious as me."

"Oh, she can be, but she's a bit of a nuisance sometimes..." Dr. Facilier chuckled.

"But I'll tell her from right and wrong," Darla then said. "That's what I'm there for as her mother."

"Now how about Cherry's past, present, and future." Patch said.

"Say what?" Cherry's eyes widened. "Um, no, no, we don't need to see my life, it's pretty boring and uninteresting."

"Oh, I disagree." Dr. Faciler said.

Cherry deeply gulped.

Dr. Faciler spun a yarn about how Cherry was pushed around a lot, especially by a certain someone who lived in a different realm far from their own. "You seem a little unlucky, huh, Perky Goth?"

"Sad but true..." Cherry shrugged.

"It's true." Patch said.

"You ever consider the dark side?" Dr. Faciler put his arm around her which overwhelmed the others.

"I am the dark side." Cherry replied.

"I mean the darker dark side..." Dr. Faciler said. "You do what I want and I will guarantee you'll be rewarded."

"No, Cherry, don't listen to him." Patch said.

Cherry looked curious. "What do I have to do?"

"Are you serious?!" Darla asked.

"You just let me start this..." Dr. Faciler smirked. "I can make your dreams become reality... What do you say?" he then held out his hand for her. "Come on, girl, won't you shake a poor sinner's hand?"

Cherry held out her hand to shake his hand.

"Cherry, don't do it." Atticus said.

Cherry held out her hand and shook Dr. Faciler's.

"Yes..." Dr. Faciler hissed as the masks started to chant. "Are you ready?!"

"Are you ready?!" the masks echoed. 

Cherry backed up slightly nervous as the others became nervous themselves. 

Dr. Faciler then took out his talisman which then pricked one of Darla's fingers and took her blood.

"OW! Hey! Why'd you do that?!" Darla glared.

"Can ya feel it?" Dr. Faciler taunted as he sang and there were suddenly going to be changes for young Darla. "You're changing, you're changing, you're changing all right... I hope you're satisfied... And if you ain't, don't blame me, you can blame my friends on the other side~"

"You got what you wanted, but you lost what you had!" the chorus added in as Cherry was taken to the dark side.

"We have to get out of here now." Atticus said as he used his magic to teleport him and the others away from Dr. Faciler.

Cherry was the only one not teleported.


	6. Chapter 6

"Cherry's gone bad," Patch frowned, then looked around. "Uh, where's Darla?"

"I'm over here, how'd you all get so big and how'd I get so small?" Darla's voice asked.

"I'm afraid to look down." Atticus said.

"Darla...?" Patch asked, then looked down to see a blue-eyed green frog with a purple bow on its head.

"What happened?" Darla asked.

"Darla, he turned you into a frog." Atticus said once he looked down as well.

"What?" Darla asked.

Atticus took out a mirror for her to see for herself.

"I'm A FROG?!" Darla screeched.

"Okay, first, why did he transform her into a frog and second, why did he need a sample of her blood?" Patch asked Atticus.

"I don't know." Atticus said.

'You don't know?!" Darla asked. "You know everything!"

"I'm sorry, I don't know what to tell you guys..." Atticus frowned. "It can't be good though especially since he took my best friend!" he then looked angry.

"Atticus, don't worry, we will get her back." Patch said.

"I really hope so..." Atticus sighed, he then bent down and picked up Darla in his hands. "You can't go to the party looking like this..."

"So what are we going to do?" Darla asked.

"I'm sorry, Darla, but you'll have to stay like this until we find out what to do with you, let's just get to the party, we'll think of something later." Atticus said.

"Okay, Atticus..." Darla sighed. "I was hoping to be a princess like my grandmother."

"Wait, Atticus, don't you know a spell that can turn any animal into a human?" Patch asked.

"I suppose I could try that..." Atticus said as he took out his spell book and he then found the spell. "Aha!" he then recited the spell.

Darla squeezed her eyes shut as she waited for the magic to turn her back into a human, but surprisingly, it did not work. "Well? Did it work?" she asked. 

"Uhh..." Patch and Atticus hesitated.

"Oh, no... It didn't work." Darla frowned.

"That's impossible..." Atticus frowned as well.

"That Shadow Man must have worse magic than your own..." Patch suggested.

"I'm sorry, Darla..." Atticus sighed. "Let's just get to the party."

"Fine." Darla frowned.

"It'll get better..." Atticus promised.

"I don't know about me being a frog getting better..." Darla sighed. 

Atticus and Patch looked to each other, unsure of what else to do since they couldn't change Darla back into a human.

"We'll have to figure it out later.* Darla said.

It was getting dark as the costume party was starting.

"Patch, can you do me a favor?" Darla asked.

"Yes, Darla?" Patch smiled to her.

"Could you go to the party as me?" Darla smiled.

"What?!" Patch asked. "Are you nuts?!"

"Please Patch..." Darla pleaded. "I promised Charlotte I would be there and I'd hate to disappoint her..."

Patch grumbled before he gave in and used his magic to me himself look like Darla.

"Thanks, Patch." Darla smiled.

"You owe me big time for this..." Patch grumbled as he was in Darla's human form now.

"We should get dressed for the party." Atticus said.

"Yes, yes," Darla agreed. "Patch, put on my Rapunzel costume."

"Must I...?" Patch whined.

"Yes." Darla replied as she hid in Atticus's pocket for now.

"Oh, fine." Patch pouted.

"Thank you, Patch!" Darla beamed.

Patch growled as he was then in a purple gown without shoes and the blonde hair reached the floor and he was given a green lizard toy. 

"Ooh, how darling~" Darla cooed.

"Let's just get this over with..." Patch groaned.

"Oh, but Patch, you look so adorable." Atticus smirked.

"Shut up!" Patch groaned as he held his new head.

Atticus chuckled. "Sorry, sorry..."

"Just go and get dressed." Patch groaned.

"Here, watch her." Atticus took Darla out of his pockets and handed her to Patch while he went to get his own costume on.

"Oh, this is so demeaning," Darla groaned. "I'm a slimy frog!"

"You think this is demeaning? I'm reduced to being disguised as a girl." Patch groaned.

"I guess..." Darla replied. "Oh, man, I really wanted to dance with Charlotte..."

"I wonder who your grandfather is?" Patch wondered as he held Darla in his hands.

"I hope it's someone she's always been in love with." Darla smiled.

"I'm sure..." Patch replied.

Atticus came out in a detective costume with a cap and even had a pipe that blew bubbles.

"A detective?" Patch and Darla asked.

"What happened to Hercules?" Darla asked.

"I can't be Hercules without Pegasus, so I'm compromising with fate, plus I love detecting." Atticus replied as he 'smoked' his pipe.

"Why not just use your magic to make it the way you want it?" Darla asked.

"Maybe another time, let's just get going to the party." Atticus replied. "Besides, I look smart this way."

"You look smart all right..." Cherry walked by mysteriously. "A smart--" 

"CHERRY!" the others called out.

Cherry smiled sheepishly.

"Cherry? How did you escape Dr. Faciler?" Atticus asked.

"Is that important right now?" Cherry asked. "I don't think so, gotta go!" she then zipped off.

"Something's up..." Atticus said. "Cherry's never that anxious unless someone's trying to pulverize her for no reason."

"We're keeping an eye on her, right?" Patch asked.

"Yep." Atticus replied as he popped his pipe into his mouth.

"You look so grown up." Darla said to her big brother.

"I try." Atticus smiled as he 'smoked'.

"Well, we should get to the party." Patch said.

"Come along then." Atticus said.

"Here you go, piping hot." Tiana handed a platter to a woman dressed like a saxophone.

"Hello, Tiana." Atticus smiled.

"Oh, hey, guys," Tiana smiled back. "Y'all want some beginets?" 

There was a dog who was begging for some of the savory treats while dressed like a Roman Guard.

"Stella, excuse me, no, Stella, no, no." Tiana warned her best friend's dog.

"I'm sure one little beginet won't hurt." Patch said in Darla's voice the best he could.

Darla pouted as she was excluded since she was now an amphibian.

"Okay, but just one." Tiana gave in to Stella's begging and allowed her to have the treat.

Stella then caught the pastry and enjoyed it very much.

"But Miss Charlotte, you said 'later' two hours ago!" the worker from the costume store said to Charlotte who dressed like a princess, pleading for a dance with her.

"Travis," Charlotte turned to him with an agitated look on her face. "When a woman says 'later', she really means 'not ever'."

"Really?" Atticus asked.

"Now run along," Charlotte waved Travis off. "There are plenty of young fillies dying for you to waltz with them in a stupor," she then then rushed to the snack table, panicking. "Give me them napkins, quick!"

"What on Earth for?" Tiana asked.

"I swear, I'm sweating like a sinner in church!" Charlotte gasped as she stuffed some napkins into her front pocket. "Tia, it's getting so late!"

"Don't worry, ma'am, I'm sure that the prince will be here soon." Atticus said.

"There's still a few stragglers." Tiana told her best friend.

"It's just not fair!" Charlotte huffed. "My prince is never gonna come!"

"Now Lottie..." Cherry tried to calm her friend.

"I never get anything I wish for!" Charlotte squabbled, setting herself on the stairs with her big, frilly pink dress. She then rushed up the stairs.

"Oh, poor Grandma." Darla frowned while still in her brother's pocket.

Atticus gently patted his pocket as he was sure that Darla felt bad for Charlotte. He and the others soon went to comfort Charlotte.

"Maybe I just need to wish harder..." Charlotte said, she then looked to the first star she saw that night and begged for it to make her wish come true to dance with Prince Naveen. "Oh, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE!!!"

"Wow." Atticus said.

"Ma'am, stop, it's getting embarrassing..." Patch muttered in Darla's voice.

Darla only looked sad for her poor grandmother, she knew the prince wasn't going to be her grandfather and he would end up with someone else in the end, but the woman's happiness was very important to her right now to care about her own life right now even if she was a 'slimy frog'. They soon heard an announcement that was surprising.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" a man called, turning Tiana and Charlotte's attention away from the night sky. "His Royal Highness, Prince Naveen!"

Charlotte swiped her tiara from Tiana's hands as she was excited as the other guests. Tiana looked up at the star Charlotte had wished on and wondered if it had anything to do with Naveen's entrance. As Naveen was in his royal robes and walked down the aisle, the blonde young woman powdered her face, wiped her eyes and drew a little mole on her cheek. She then whistled a spotlight for herself and put her fan up as sparkles and glitter dawned upon her like the spotlight. The guests applauded her as Naveen walked over to the stairs.

"Something doesn't seem right." Darla whispered.

"You do have a point." Atticus had to agree.

"Something feels weird in the pit of my stomach." Patch agreed.

"What're you talking about?" Cherry asked as she wore a black dress with matching heels and a silver crown on her head. "It's a party! Who needs to worry?"

"Cherry, it just doesn't feel right." Atticus said.

Naveen and Charlotte began to do the Waltz together. Darla groaned and looked a little sick again. Tiana smiled as she was happy for her friend as she swayed to the music, then stopped as a horse appeared to do the same until she realized it was only a costume.

"Um, hello?" Atticus greeted the two people in the horse costume.

It was revealed to be Mr. Fenner and his brother, Mr. Fenner.

"Evening, Tiana," Mr. Fenner smiled. "Marvelous party."

"Evening Mr. Fenner," Tiana greeted, then spotted the fatter one. "And Mr. Fenner..."

"Fine-smelling beignets." the fatter Mr. Fenner licked his lips.

"It'll be a house special once you give her the papers to sign." Atticus said.

"Uh, yes, about that..." the thinner Mr. Fenner said.

"You were outbid." the fatter Mr. Fenner said for him.

"What?!" the others asked in unfortunate surprise.

"What do you mean?" Cherry asked.

"A fellow came in offered the full amount in cash." the thinner Mr. Fenner explained as his brother stuffed his pockets with more beignets. "Unless you can top his offer by Wednesday..."

"You can kiss that place goodbye." the fatter Mr. Fenner finished.

"You know how long it took me to save that money?" Tiana stood in front of the Fenner brothers as they were about to walk away.

"Exactly!" the thinner Mr. Fenner smiled. "Which is why a little woman of your background would have had her hands full trying to run a big business like that. No, you're better off where you're at." he then pulled the horse head back on top to continue walking about with his brother as the bottom.

"He can't be serious." Patch said in Darla's voice.

"Now wait a minute!" Tiana began to protest.

"Love those beginets though." the fatter Mr. Fenner chuckled.

"Now, hold on there, you come back!" Tiana grabbed onto the tail of the costume, but she slid back and crashed against the table and the herdouvs fell all over the floor. Her costume got splattered with powder, sauce, juice and other contents.

"Tia!" Charlotte gasped as she walked over. "Time to hit Prince Charming with those man-catching--" she then looked down and noticed her friend in trouble on the floor which made her sad. "What happened?"

"The Fenner brothers is what happened." Cherry said.

"I... I just..." Tiana tried to explain.

"Oh, you poor dear..." Charlotte helped her best friend up off the floor. "Oh, Prince Naveen, we'll be right back, sugar!" she called out as she helped Tiana upstairs to her bedroom. "I got just the dress for you."

"She's such a good friend." Darla smiled weakly to her grandmother.

"Should we go with them?" Patch whispered.

"Probably." Atticus nodded as he pulled Cherry who seemed nervous for some reason.


	7. Chapter 7

In Charlotte's bedroom, Darla looked around with wonder and smiles to her future grandmother's bedroom.

"Tia, honey, did you see the way he danced with me?" Charlotte gushed as she was putting on more make-up while she let Tiana borrow an icy blue dress with matching gloves to replace her old messy costume. "A marriage proposal can't be far behind. Thank you, Evening Star!"

Atticus soon knocked on the bedroom door.

"Come on, we're decent!" Charlotte called.

Atticus came in and looked around the room. "Wow, it looks like a little girl's fantasy in here."

"Oh, thank you, shugah." Charlotte giggled.

Cherry and Patch disguised as Darla then came in.

"You know," Charlotte laughed as she did her eyebrows. "I was starting to think that wishing on stars was just for babies and crazy people..." she then gasped as she saw her best friend's reflection in the mirror and turned at her. "Look at you. Aren't you just as pretty as a magnolia in May?"

Tiana didn't respond, she just walked with her head bowed and eyes shut, going toward the blonde woman's way.

"You look beautiful, Tiana." Atticus smiled.

"Seems like only yesterday we were both little girls dreaming our fairy tale dreams." Charlotte smiled as she placed a glittering tiara on Tiana's head from her vanity table.

Tiana looked a little miserable however.

"Uh, Charlotte, why don't you go back to the party?" Patch suggested. "We'll be right down with you."

"Alright, darling." Charlotte said.

Darla smiled, though stayed hidden.

"Wish me luck," Charlotte beamed as she left the room. "Oh, Naveen?~"

Tiana held out the paper that her father made for her as she looked quite miserable.

"Whoever outbid you must have been a jerk." Patch said in Darla's voice.

Tiana sighed as she came out to the balcony and the others followed, but kept their distance as she was very unhappy. She then looked up to the wishing star with a sigh. "I can't believe I'm doing this..." she whispered before pleading and wishing on the star like she did when she was little. She then opened her eyes and looked to see a frog on the balcony which made her deadpan. "Very funny..." she then gave an amused smile to the frog. "So what now? I bet you want a kiss."

"Kissing would be nice~" the frog replied in a suave voice.

Tiana, who could not talk to animals like the others could, screamed and backed away against Charlotte's shelf which made several books and stuffed animals fall out.

"Tiana, are you all right?" Darla asked from Atticus's pocket.

Tiana then screamed again.

"Was it something I said?" Darla pouted.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" the frog hopped in. "I didn't mean to scare you!"

Tiana began throwing things at the talking frogs and was freaking out.

"Wait! Stop! You have a very strong arm, Princess..." the frog said after Tiana threw a teddy bear with a tiny crown on its head.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Atticus and Patch, who changed back into his true form, said.

"Stay back or I'll! I'll!..." Tiana wielded one of Charlotte's books.

"Please! Listen!" the frog stepped over to her by the stool by the vanity. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Naveen--"

SLAM!

"Of Maldonia..." the frog then weakly concluded as he was brutally slammed by the book.

"Wait, did you just say that you were the prince?" Atticus asked.

"But I didn't wish for any..." Tiana was about to say until she thought about it a little and looked very confused and angry right now. "Hold on, if you're the prince, then who was that waltzing with Lottie on the dance floor?"

"All I know is one minute I'm a prince, charming and handsome, cutting a rug..." Naveen replied as he danced on his long feet before slipping and falling on his backside. "And the next thing I know I'm tripping over these..." he then kicked up one of his legs to show his webbed feet which made Tiana recoil in disgust.

"Wait, Tiana, look at the storybook you are holding." Darla smiled.

"Wait, wait, wait, I know this story!" Naveen beamed and spoke in a foreign language.

"The Frog Prince?" Tiana replied.

"Yes!" Naveen cried as he set the book down and flipped through the pages of the transformation. "My mother had the servants read this to me every night! Yes, yes, yes! This is exactly the answer!" he then turned to Tiana with a suave smile. "You must kiss me..."

"Wait, what?" Patch asked.

"Excuse me?" Tiana glared.

"Well, I enjoy a guarantee," Naveen smirked. "All women enjoy the kiss of Prince Naveen. Come, we pucker."

"Look, I'm sorry," Tiana backed away. "I'd really like to help you, but I don't kiss frogs."

"I don't think anyone kisses frogs." Darla said.

"They're so delicious." Cherry smirked innocently.

"Well wait a sec, on the balcony, you asked for me!" Naveen said to Tiana.

"I didn't expect you to answer!" Tiana wrinkled her nose.

"But you must kiss me," Naveen pleaded. "Look, besides being unbelievably handsome, okay, I also happen to come from a fabulously wealthy bloodline. Surely I could offer you some type of reward, a wish I could grant, perhaps?"

"Tiana, he could give you the enough money you need to outbid the other buyer." Patch whispered.

Tiana thought about that before wincing to the frog prince. "Just one kiss...?"

"Just one," Naveen replied and licked his lips. "Unless you beg for more."

"Don't push your luck." Darla warned him.

Tiana then cringed and backed away a little. She then assured herself she could do it, slowly leaned forward and planted a kiss on the frog prince's lips meeting hers. There was then a magical glow in the air, but Naveen looked around to see he was still a frog and not a prince, the trick didn't work.

"Wait, I just realized something," Patch whispered to Atticus ,Cherry, and Darla before he saw he couldn't find Atticus or Cherry. "Atticus? Cherry? Where'd you two go?"

"You don't look that much different," Tiana said as Naveen looked down from the dresser. "But how'd you get all the way up there, and how did I get way down here in this..." she then noticed she didn't have a human hand, but a green webbed hand! She looked in Charlotte's hand mirror and saw she was a frog as well and screamed.

"Hey! What's going on?!" Atticus's voice called out as something was moving around in his clothes along with Darla.

Darla came out and then removed the clothes to find Cherry and Atticus. She didn't find Cherry, but she did find her brother and where she was surprised.

"Uh, Atticus...?" Darla asked.

"Is it bad?" Atticus asked.

Darla took Atticus over to the mirror so he could see himself.

Atticus was a strong looking frog. "Wow, I don't look half bad as a frog." he then smiled.

"At least you're not a toad..." Darla glanced away.

"Easy, Princess, Princess, don't panic!" Naveen said nervously to Tiana as she was angry at her new form.

"What did you do to me?" Tiana cringed. "I'm all green and slimy!"

"No, that's not slime, that's mucus." Naveen corrected.

"It's true and Darla, you are not a toad; you are a frog too." Atticus said.

'I know I'm a frog, Atticus, I turned into one a long time ago." Darla reminded.

"Oh, yeah..." Atticus replied sheepishly.

Tiana then lunged for Naveen which made Atticus and Darla rush over to try to stop them, but they ended up on a rocking chair and the book then landed on it which flung them all out the window instantly.

"GUYS!" Patch yelped as he came to the balcony and watched them fall and end up out to the party and landed on a man's drum set. "Uh-oh..." he then muttered.

The drummer tried to get them off but he kept playing his drums as he tried to capture the frogs and they got off as everyone jammed to the music. The frogs then splattered against Charlotte's dress. Naveen's body had a winning smile and was about to serve drinks for himself and her. When Charlotte landed on her back and looked to see the frogs, she responded with a scream.

"Hey, Stella!" Eli called once he saw his daughter was in distress.

Stella soon popped her head up from the food and where Patch soon jumped down from the balcony to help his friends.

"Get them frogs!" Eli demanded.

Stella snarled as she charged for the frogs.

"Stay back!" Patch growled to Stella.

"Quick, everyone on Patch's back!" Atticus told them.

Stella growled and went to chase after the dogs.

"Hold onto my collar." Patch told the frogs as they climbed on his back.

The frogs then tried to hang onto Patch's collar as he then ran from them to avoid Stella as they ran across the buffet table as a man dressed like an octopus began to drink wine. And where he was surprised at what he saw passing him.

"Get away from me!" Patch told Stella as he ran with Atticus, Darla, Tiana, and Naveen on his back.

"Stella, it's me, Tiana!" Tiana yelped as she was nervous about possibly getting eaten by Stella.

"Tiana?" Stella asked, confused before Patch and the others got tangled up in balloons.

"Stella just talked to me," Tiana sounded distressed. "The dog just spoke to me!"

"You know if you're going to let every little thing bother you, it's going to be a very long night!" Naveen said as they flew off as it was about to storm.

"Well, at least we're going to have a gentle night." Darla smiled.

Patch held on tight with them as they were floating away.


	8. Chapter 8

There was a figure watching them. He had a theater mask over his face but he lowered it to reveal a face of hate. The figure was revealed to have been Dr. Faciler. He clenched his teeth and turned his head to see Naveen's body looking anxious about the turn of tonight's events. He then looked and saw Cherry. The two appeared to be going into the gazebo. Naveen's body soon rushed to where the real Naveen was supposed to be. Dr. Facilier then slithered up behind him as Cherry seemed nervous and weary like she was around her friends earlier that night.

"Oh, dear..." Naveen's body said with a different voice as he saw that a jar was open.

Facilier then snuck up behind him.

"Yipe!" Naveen gasped to see the Shadow Man. "You're so quiet..."

"You let him go?!" Dr. Faciler glared.

"The poor guy was gasping so I loosened the lid ever so slightly," Naveen's body whimpered nervously and tripped over the shadow that was behind him which then made him trip. "Now how did I ever get tangled up in all this voodoo madness? I can't go through with it!" he then swiped off the amulet around his neck and was revealed to have been a plump English man in the prince's body all along. "You wear this... This... Ghastly thing!" he then threw the amulet.

"You idiot!" Cherry gasped.

"Careful with that!" Dr. Faciler glared to the man as he grabbed the amulet before it fell. "If anything happens to this, and I'm going to be--"

The man flinched, fearing for his life as the voodoo man looked rather deathly.

"Fun fact about voodoo, Larry," Dr. Faciler then said as he kept the amulet with a small evil smile. "Can't conjure a thing for myself. Besides, you and I both know the real power in this world isn't magic. It's money!" he then pointed to a portrait of Eli above the fireplace as he wrapped an arm around the plump English man.

"Money is such a beautiful word..." Cherry sounded greedy now.

"So true." Dr. Faciler smirked.

"Yes, it is..." the plump man did agree.

"Aren't you tired of living on the margins while those fat cats in their fancy cars don't give you as much as a sideways glance?" Dr. Facilier asked as he looked down at the floor.

"Yes, I am!" the plump man replied.

"And aren't you tired of being pushed around by others just to have only your friends fight for you?" Dr. Faciler then asked Cherry.

"You have no idea." Cherry replied.

"All you gotta do is marry Big Daddy's little princess and we'll be splitting that juicy LaBouff's fortune right down the middle," Dr. Faciler put the amulet around the plump man's neck to make him into Naveen again. "60:40, like I said."

"Yeah." Cherry nodded.

"Yeah..." the plump man smirked in agreement as he looked in the mirror with the prince's body. "But, what about Naveen?"

"Your little slip up will be a minor bump in the road," Dr. Faciler replied as he then smacked the back of the plump man's head. "So as long as we got the prince's and the little brat's blood in this..." he lifted up the skull shaped amulet with a wicked grin and both men chuckled.

Cherry watched them as there were dastardly deeds about to come true. 

Meanwhile, it was drizzling outside and getting very late at night. Patch and the others were still floating along with the party balloons. Naveen was explaining everything to them and why he was a frog.

"Wait, the same thing happened to you?" Darla asked before covering her mouth.

"Same thing?" Naveen looked down to the girl.

"Voodoo?" Tiana asked as the lightning flashed. "You mean to tell me this all happened because you were messing with the Shadow Man?!"

"For him it looks like it, but the Shadow Man tricked Cherry into making a deal with him and then he took a sample of my blood!" Darla told Tiana.

"He took my blood too," Naveen said to Darla. "And he was very charismatic!"

"It serves me right for wishing on stars," Tiana groaned. "The only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work."

"Hard work?" Naveen laughed. "Why would a princess need to work?"

"Um, Prince Naveen; you should know that Tiana isn't a princess, she's a waitress." Atticus told him.

"A waitress?" Naveen sounded disappointed. "Well, no wonder the kiss didn't work, she lied to me!"

"No, I never said I was a princess!" Tiana glared.

"You never said that you were a waitress!" Naveen glared back. "You were wearing a crown!"

"It was a costume party, you dingus!" Darla glared in return.

"Yeah!" Patch added.

"Oh, yeah? You think you embarrassed yourself?" Naveen retorted with a smirk. "I don't have any riches!"

"What?!" the others asked as they floated downward.

"I'm completely broke!" Naveen laughed until suddenly, a balloon popped. "Uh-oh..."

"Last stop, everybody out!" Patch said anxiously.

Before anyone could do anything, all of them soon fell into the bayou.

"You said you were fabulously wealthy!" Tiana growled.

"No," Naveen shook his head. "My bloodline is fabulously wealthy. My parents cut me off for being a--" he then lifted an arm and saw a leech sucking his blood. "LEECH! LEECH!"

"Oh, for the love of peat." Atticus sighed before getting the leech off Naveen's arm.

"Wimp." Darla glared to Naveen.

"You're broke and you have the nerve to call Tiana a liar?" Atticus asked as he pulled the leech off of the Maldonian prince with anger.

"Well, it wasn't a lie..." Naveen shrugged as the leech was thrown miles away out of the bayou until it was caught and eaten by a fish.

There was then a growl heard as Patch came over to them.

"Patch, please tell me that was your stomach." Darla begged.

"No." Patch shook his head as Naveen and Tiana were talking.

"Then what was that...?" Darla feared the worst.

"Possibly an alligator." Atticus said.

"Alligator?" Darla gulped.

The others then could see gators coming after them.

"You guys go hide, I'll take care of 'em, you can help, Atticus." Patch snarled to the alligators, not afraid of them.

"You got it, buddy." Atticus said.

The others hopped away and hid away while Atticus and Patch decided to handle the gators. And where for them, it was no problem. Tiana and Naveen hid away with little Darla.

"Well waitress, looks like we're going to be here for a while," Naveen said seductively. "We might as well get comfortable."

There was then a slap heard.

"Keep your slimy self away from me!" Tiana hissed.

"I told you, it's not slime, it's mucus!" Naveen replied.

"Whatever! Just keep away from her." Darla said.

Eventually, Atticus and Patch tired themselves out and sent the gators out. Tiana and Naveen seemed to already fall asleep. Atticus then made up a more comfortable bed for Darla so she could sleep easier.

"Thanks, Atticus." Darla smiled.

"Anything for my little sister." Atticus smiled back.

Darla soon went to sleep. Atticus tucked her in and went to sleep beside her.

Patch was too big to fit in, but he fell asleep on the surface by the cavern and curled up so he could get some sleep himself. "Good night, everyone." he then yawned.

"Night..." the others muttered as they instantly fell asleep.

Patch curled up and fell asleep with them. The next day would come sooner than anyone would think.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, the frogs were still in their hideout to get away from the gators and take shelter for the rainy night. Naveen was turned on his side. The shine shone from outside as the prince kicked gently in his sleep as he and the others were forced to spend the night in the bayou. He had a giant leaf over him to use as a blanket. He then flinched as he heard a loud bark which made him shake awake suddenly.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty!" Patch told the prince. "Gators are gone!"

"I can't wait to get back to normal." Darla said.

"Same here." Atticus agreed as he yawned and stretched.

Patch went into the water and decided to carry the frogs on it. "Come on, guys, I can dog paddle us back to New Orleans so we can maybe find a way to undo this spell."

"Yeah." Atticus said.

The frogs climbed onto Patch's back and he then paddled with them aboard. Naveen then made himself a banjo to play a little music as they waded into the water. Little did they know, an alligator was swarming up right behind them.

"Does anyone else feel like there's something coming up from the bayou?" Darla asked.

Tiana turned around and gasped. Patch yelped as he saw another gator. It looked like they were all donefor, until...

"I know that tune!" the alligator exclaimed. "Dippermouth Blues!" he took out a tiny trumpet and started playing the same melody as Naveen did.

"Huh?" Patch asked in confusion.

The others looked curious and bewildered as this gator didn't try to attack or eat them.

"Play it, brother!" Naveen cheered and played his banjo once more, jamming with the gator.

"This is strange." Darla said.

Tiana was lost for words.

"Ah, where have you been all my life?" the gator laughed.

"Where'd you learn to play like that?" Naveen asked.

"Why, the bayou's best jazz school in the world," the gator replied. "All the greats play riverboats. Old Louis would give anything to be jamming up there with the big boys."

"Why don't you?" Atticus asked.

"Oh, I tried once," Louis replied before frowning as he remembered the last time. "It didn't end well."

"Uh-huh," Tiana walked over. "It has been a real pleasure meeting you, Louis. And thank you kindly for not eating us, but we best be on our way."

"Where... Where y'all goin'?" the gator asked.

"To find somebody to break this spell." Patch said as he paddled with the frogs on his back.

"What spell?" Louis asked.

"Oh, me and my adopted little sister and friends here are not frogs; we're humans." Atticus said.

"What?" Louis asked, then broke down laughing. He thought it was joke, but then he looked back as the frogs were flowing away with Patch as their ride. "Wait, y'all are serious?"

"I am Naveen, Prince of Maldonia," Naveen introduced himself. "And she is Tiana, the waitress," he then looked back at her and whispered to Louis. "Don't kiss her."

"I'm Atticus, the younger frog next to me is my adopted younger sister, Darla and the Dalmatian that we're using as a boat is my pet dog, Patch." Atticus said.

"Anyway, Naveen here got turned into a frog by that voodoo man, and--" Darla started.

"Voodoo?" Louis jumped back. "You mean like the kind Mama Odie do?"

"Mama Who-die?" the others asked.

"Mama Odie," Louis told them. "She's the voodoo queen of the bayou. She's got magic spells and all kinds of hoodoo."

"Could you take us to her?" Tiana asked.

"Through the deepest, darkest part of the bayou?" Louis gasped wildly. "Facing razor-sharp pricker bushes and trappers and hunters with guns? No." he then sat behind a tree and played a soulful tone on his trumpet.

The others sighed to that, but Naveen seemed to have something in mind to help talk Louis into going with them so they could find this Mama Odie.

"What's he doing?" Darla asked.

"I think he's gonna try to get Louis to come with us somehow." Atticus replied with an estimate.

"Watch and learn," Naveen told the others and made his way over to their new gator friend. "Louis, it's too bad we can't help you with your dream. If you were smaller and less teethy, you could play jazz to adoring crowds without scaring them."

Louis then stopped playing.

"But, enjoy your loneliness my friend..." Naveen then said as he walked back to the others.

"That should do it." Atticus said.

"I don't understand," Darla said. "How's that gonna--?"

"Hey, guys!" Louis exclaimed, going to the frogs. "I just got a crazy idea! What if I asked Mama Odie to make me human?"

"Why, Louis, you're a genius!" Naveen smiled.

"Hallelujah!" Louis laughed and jumped into the water to take the frogs to Mama Odie.

Patch soon got on Louis so he wouldn't be left behind. Atticus held Darla close so she wouldn't fall off.

"If I were a human being, I'd head straight to New Orleans~" Louis started to sing as he took them to Mama Odie. "And I'd blow this horn so hot and strong, Like no one they've ever seen, You've heard of Louis Armstrong, Mr. Sidney Bechet, All those boys are gonna step aside when they hear this old ex-gator play, Listen!~" he then blew his horn for his new friends.

'He's not that bad.' Atticus thought to himself.

Darla giggled, she very much loved the music. Patch started to dance around.

"When I'm human as I hope to be, I'm gonna blow this horn til the cows come home, And everyone's gonna bow down to me~" Louis continued with a laugh. He then started to fantasize that people were cheering for him.

"I like him." Darla giggled to Atticus about Louis.

Atticus smiled at his little sister's happiness. "Great." 

"Tell it, brother!" Naveen laughed as Louis sang about being human and he then sang about how when he was a human, he was going to have fun with his life and live it up.

"You are getting married!" Tiana snapped and waved the butterflies away from Naveen.

"Yeah!" Patch barked.

"Oh, right," Naveen rolled his eyes. "I'll just have to leave a string of broken hearts behind me!"

"Oh, brother." Darla sighed.

Tiana decided when she was human, she was still going to work hard to earn her restaurant. Louis continued to play his horn as he took his new friends to Mama Odie. Darla, Atticus, and Patch decided to sing of what they would do when they were human.

Meanwhile, we are at the LaBouff household. Far from it was a little picnic table with flowers, a view of the lake with a bridge, and a bountiful of flowers. Charlotte was sitting with who she thought was Prince Naveen. They were talking about last night. Darla's human body appeared to be there as well as she wore a pretty pink dress with white gloves, a floppy dark pink hat with flowers in it and short-heeled white shoes. 

"Prince Naveen, dear," Charlotte spoke up, wearing a matching sun dress with a floppy hat. "I am positively mortified you had to endure that frog fiasco last night."

"Oh, I'm sure he's used to things like that." Darla said with Cherry's voice.

"The child is right, when you're next in line for the throne," 'Naveen' agreed as he rose a glass of champagne. "You're poised like a panther, ready to expect the unexpected." he then took a fork and snarled playfully at Charlotte.

Charlotte snarled back with a lustful look in her eye. 'Naveen's' and 'Darla's right ears soon changed. 

"Ooh, your ears..." Charlotte noticed.

"What?" 'Naveen' asked, then patted on his ear and panicked. Thinking quickly, he ducked down and whimpered as he took out the amulet and it was running out of Naveen's DNA. He then got back up to the table with his hand on his ear with a nervous laugh.

"Oh, those pesky mosquitoes..." 'Darla' chuckled nervously.

"I know, they're everywhere." 'Naveen' laughed nervously.

Charlotte glanced at them, but then smiled.

"Please..." 'Naveen' took Charlotte's hands and pulled her out of her seat and held her hands close. "Miss Charlotte, I can no longer ignore the throbbing of my--" Before he could continue, his rear end went back to normal and he got immediately worried. "Heart..."

"Keep going." 'Darla' urged him.

"Even though our time together has been brief, it's been heavenly!" 'Naveen' continued before spinning Charlotte around and dipping her.

"Land sakes, Prince Naveen!" Charlotte snorted. "You got be blushing like a--" the blonde woman then squealed out as the man buried his face in her skirt and held her rump close in his arms.

"Would you do me the honor of becoming the Princess of Maldonia?" the man then asked.

This surprised Charlotte as she smiled that this was really happening. "Are you serious...?"

"As the plague." 'Naveen' replied with his right hand up to God and put his collar up over his face.

'Darla's' face soon changed back to normal and where she had to hide it.

"Yes!" Charlotte nearly tackled 'the prince'. "I most definitely will marry you!"

'Naveen' took out flowers to hide his face, but the blonde woman snatched them instantly.

"There's so much to plan!" Charlotte gushed as her heart soared all through out her body. "I mean, the guest list, the dress, the music, the flowers, the shoes! We're gonna have ourselves a Mardi Gras wedding!" she then skipped off to tell her father the good news.

"Whew." 'Darla' sighed.

The two then began to panic as Dr. Facilier was coming right for them.

"D-D-Dr. Faciler." 'Darla' smiled nervously.

The two then became the plump man known as Lawrence and Cherry and not actually Prince Naveen and little Darla. Dr. Faciler soon groaned out of annoyance once he saw both amulets were out of blood.

"What do we do now?" Lawrence asked once they were back to normal.

"Because somebody let our froggy prince go, Larry, I'm reduced to asking for help from my friends on the other side." Dr. Faciler declared.

"I'm not so sure if I wanna be part of this..." Cherry sounded nervous now.

"You should have thought of that before we shook hands." Dr. Faciler said.

Cherry and Lawrence looked to each other nervously in response.


	10. Chapter 10

Night fell as Louis continued to carry his new frog friends with him as they were looking for Mama Odie.

"Are we there yet?" Darla asked.

"Almost, now, uh, Tiana, tell me more about this restaurant of yours." Louis smiled hungrily. 

"Please don't," Darla moaned. "I'm starving."

"Same here." Atticus also moaned.

A fly then passed which seemed to make Naveen lick his lips.

"This is interesting." Naveen said.

"What are you doing?" Tiana raised an eyebrow.

"As strange as this sounds, I think we better eat the bugs," Darla said. "They dont' seem so bad in this perspective." 

"There is no way I'm kissing a frog and eating a bug on the same day." Tiana wrinkled her nose.

"I think your tongue has other plans." Patch said.

"Huh?" Tiana asked until her tongue seemed to jump out from her mouth.

The frogs seemed to go all around from their tongues as the flies were going around.

"This can't end well." Patch said as he climbed up on shore and decided to see them before they would literally have the worst tongue twisters of their lives.

And which would be sooner than they think. Patch winced and covered his eyes with his ears after everyone had then gotten tangled together.

"You know what this needs?" Louis scratched his chin. "A sharp stick! Be right back!" the gator then dashed off past the cattails near the pond.

"Oh, brother." Patch sighed.

"Patch, ya mind lending a paw here?" Darla asked.

"Uh, I'll try..." Patch came over to them. 

"Well, looky here!" a Cajun voice called out which made the others look over to see a mere firefly. 

"Ooh, a firefly." Patch beamed.

"Ooh." Darla smiled.

"Let me shine a little light on the situation," the firefly shut his eyes tight then his back-end glowed in the dark evening. He then walked over to the frogs to see if he could solve this problem. "Goodness, you done this real good for sure, don't you worry," the firefly then took a tip of one of their tongues and snapped them away from each other and untangled. "It's about time I introduce myself, my name's Raymond, but ya can call me 'Ray'."

"Pleased to meet you, Ray, my name is Patch Pongo, and these are Atticus Fudo, Darla Fudo, Tiana, and Prince Naveen of Maldonia." Patch introduced.

"Prince Charming here got himself turned into a frog by a voodoo witch doctor," Tiana said about Naveen. "We're on our way to Mama Odie's, we think maybe she can--"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ray stopped her right there. "Mama Odie? You guys are headed in the wrong direction! Now, what kind of knucklehead told you to go this way?"

"I found a stick!" Louis barged out of the bushes, as if on cue, with his sharp stick.

"There's your answer." Patch said with slanted eyes.

"Louis," Darla folded her arms. "Ray here says you've been taking us in the wrong direction."

Louis glanced at them and the firefly nervously and dropped his stick. He then nervously chuckled. "I was... Well, I... Now listen... I was confused by the topography and the geography and the choreography and--"

"First rule of the bayou," Ray whispered to the group. "Never take directions from a gator." he then whistled. 

There were suddenly glows all around and more and more fireflies appeared.

"Whoa!" Atticus smiled.

"Why, me and my relationals will help show you the way." Ray smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. Ray." Darla smiled.

Ray went to one of his cousins and the fireflies began to sing a little tune and they all glowed to light a path for the visitors in their bayou. The frogs, puppy, and gator then followed the fireflies as they were going to finally see Mama Odie.

"Nothing can stop us now." Patch smiled.

"Just follow the bouncin' butt!" Ray laughed as he led the way with his relatives. 

Back in New Orleans, Dr. Faciler was going to talk with his friends on the other side for guidance.

"Why am I doing this...?" Cherry asked herself. "I betrayed Atticus... He took me as his friend when no one else would..."

'You are a terrible person.' A female voice said in her head.

"Who said that?" Cherry asked as she heard the voice.

'Who do you think? It's the voice in your head that tells you right from wrong and also haunts you for doing the wrong thing.' The voice said.

Cherry hid a chill down her spine. "My conscience..."

'That's the one.' Her conscience said.

"Hey, you think this is easy for me?" Cherry muttered. "I don't even know if I'm even good or bad... We all know Atticus is Sombra's nephew, but I don't even know if I'm good or bad."

'Of course you're good!' Her conscience told her.

"I don't know..." Cherry said.

'Have you ever done anything evil?' Her conscience asked.

"Well, I'm with the Shadow Man right now, and it seems a little more fun to be bad sometimes..." Cherry shrugged.

'Oh, brother.' Her conscience sighed.

"Hey, you could at least be helpful..." Cherry glared to her inner voice.

'Okay, who do you trust more; the Shadow Man or your best friend?' Her conscience asked.

"I've known Atticus for seven years..." Cherry said. "But... I'm unhappy with my own life."

'Yes, but doesn't Atticus make it a little better?' Her conscience asked.

"At times..." Cherry said. "He seems to steal the spotlight every now and again."

'Yeah, but doesn't he always sometimes make up for it?' Her conscience asked.

"Well, yeah, but..." Cherry said.

'But what?' The conscience replied.

Cherry sighed. "I don't know... Can I run before it's too late?" 

'I would, your great-grandmother is in these parts anyhow.' The conscience replied. 

"Wait, what?!" Cherry asked in shock.

'That's right.' The conscience said.

"Wh-Where...?" Cherry asked.

'Leave Faciler and I shall guide you.' The conscience replied.

Cherry suddenly stood up, threw off the amulet with Darla's blood in it and walked where her inner voice told her where to go. And where by the time she was following it; shadows started to come out from Dr. Faciler's place.

Back with the group, Louis and the frogs were waving at the kind fireflies helping them out.

"I'll take them the rest of the way." Ray told his kin.

Everyone said goodbye and headed their separate ways.

"This sure has been interesting." Darla said.

Tiana noticed how Ray mentioned a girl's name as the other fireflies left. "Is that your girl?" she then smirked slightly to their newest friend.

"Oh, no, no," Ray waved his hand. "My girl, that's Evangeline."

"Evangeline?" Atticus asked with a smile.

"She's the most prettiest firefly with the most beautiful glow..." Ray sighed dreamily. "You know, I told to Evangeline most every night. She's kind of shy, doesn't say much. But I know in my heart, someday we are gonna be together..."

"Aw, that's so sweet." Darla smiled.

"Yeah." Tiana smiled back.

"Yeah," Naveen sighed. "So sweet. Just don't settle down so quickly, my friend. There are plenty of fireflies in the bayou."

"Oh, brother..." Atticus sighed.

Tiana shoved him slightly as she then cut through the bushes.

Louis was about to follow them, but got his finger caught in one of the pricker bushes and shouted in pain. "Pricker bushes got me!" he then fell on his back, wincing. "Gator down! Gator down!"

Ray rolled his eyes as he went to help Louis out of his problem.

"Oh, brother." Patch sighed.

"The darkness is closing in!" Louis cried. "I'm so cold."

"Will you hold still, you big baby?" Ray snorted.

Louis screamed as there was rustling in other bushes.

"He didn't even touch it yet." Patch deadpanned.

"Indeed." Ray added.

"Here, let me help you, Ray." Patch offered.

"Aw, well, ain't ya just as sweet as potato pie in the middle of autumn?" Ray smiled to the puppy.

"I'll take that as a good thing." Patch said.

The firefly and puppy then took care of the alligator the best that they could.

"You should meet Atticus's friend Sebastian," Patch said to Louis. "He's a crab, but he makes great music from what I hear."

"I'll take your word for it." Louis smiled.

Patch then helped Ray out. Meanwhile as the frogs explored, there were three hunting humans coming after them who wanted to cook them and eat them for frogs' legs.


	11. Chapter 11

"How much further?" Darla asked.

"We're just looking around, sweetheart." Tiana told her.

"Oh, okay..." Darla said.

Atticus started to cut through the leaves. Darla followed behind him.

"You know, waitress," Naveen spoke up. "I have finally figured out what's wrong with you."

"Have you now?" Tiana snarled as she followed Atticus and Darla.

"You don't know how to have fun," Naveen replied. "There, somebody had to say it."

"Oh, for the love of peat." Atticus groaned.

"Already like an old married couple." Darla teased.

"You can say that again." Atticus said.

Darla giggled as Naveen was making fun of Tiana. And where Tiana was about to get back at him. The hunters had then come and grabbed one of the frogs instantly.

"Hey, let me go!" Darla yelped.

Atticus looked over and growled as his little sister had been captured.

"I got me one, boys!" the hunter smiled wickedly as he caught Darla. "You get those other ones over there!"

"Let go of my sister!" Atticus glared.

The other two hunters then went to go after the others. One of the hunters even threw knives. Atticus soon caught the knives. Tiana shivered nervously as the knives were aimed at her.

"Hunters with guns!" Louis panicked and then jumped right into another pricker bush.

"Oh, brother." Patch sighed.

Naveen was then trapped in a hunting net.

"Look at them big frog legs," one hunter licked his lips. "I want me some corn bread with this dinner!"

Patch soon started to growl.

"Y'all better save 'em, Pupperoo." Ray told Patch.

Patch nodded before using his magic to make him float and then fly straight at the hunter. The hunter glared and looked confused. Patch then bit him on the leg. The hunter then fell back and let go of the frog he caught.

Patch then made sure Darla landed on his back and then ran with her as soon as he caught her. "Hang on tight, Darla!"

"You don't need to worry about that," Darla said. She then held onto Patch's collar as they escaped the hunters. "What did you do that one?"

"I bit on his leg." Patch said.

"What about that magic though?" Darla asked.

"My Equestrian Medallion/Pound Puppy tag was doing the magic while I attacked him." Patch said.

"Sweet." Darla smirked.

"Yep." Patch smirked back.

Tiana and Naveen were now trying to get away from the last two hunters.

"They could use some help." Patch said about Tiana and Naveen.

"Where's Atticus?" Darla whimpered slightly.

Atticus was shown jumping and then attacking the second hunter that acted like an idiot. Both hunters didn't have much luck. Atticus laughed as he mocked the hunters so they wouldn't kill him or his friends. And where they were even surprised as the idiot hunter tried to crush Atticus with his foot. Atticus smirked as he stayed put that one point. The idiot hunter then went to stomp on Atticus, but the frog leapt out of the way just in time.

"This is kinda fun." Atticus laughed.

"Uh, stay still!" The idiot hunter glared.

Atticus laughed as he kept hopping around. The idiot hunter then took out his club and kept trying to hit Atticus with it but was only hitting his friends. The idiot hunter even hit his own foot and then hit Atticus with his foot and was surprised by the result.

"Phew..." Atticus panted as the hunters seemed to be weakening down by their own stupidity.

The idiot hunter began to push his foot further down on him. Atticus then moved out of the way again.

Soon enough, the hunters were badly battered and were no match for the frogs.

"Them frogs ain't like no frogs I ever seen..." one hunter groaned. "They're smart..."

Tiana then hopped to the edge of the hunters' boat with a smirk. "And we talk too."

"Hello." Atticus smirked while waving at the hunters.

The hunters then screamed out loud and took their boat far away from the bayou out of fear. Atticus and Tiana laughed before high-fiving each other.

"That should teach them." Patch smirked.

Ray finished helping Louis with the prickers, but there were unfortunately even more on the other side.

"'And we talk too'," Naveen laughed as he and the others were free from the hunters and were going to safe ground. "I like that. You're secretly funny."

"Not a stick in the mud?" Tiana smirked as they walked among pumpkins. "Say it. Say it."

"Come on, say it." Atticus smirked.

"Well, I wouldn't go..." Naveen sighed with a smile. "Alright, you're not exactly..."

"I can't hear you, I'm sorry, what?" Darla teased.

"A complete stick deep in the mud..." Naveen then gave in.

"We thought so." Atticus smirked.

Louis's screams were still heard.

"Folks, I know we need to get to Mama Odie's lickety-split, but we're kinda havin' issues here." Ray said.

"We might as well stop for tonight." Darla said.

"Oh, poor Louis." Tiana soothed.

Darla held her stomach as it weakly grumbled. "Poor Louis? Poor us! I'm so hungry!" 

"Wow, Darla, you're really hungry now, arent' ya?" Patch noticed.

"Yes." Darla nodded.

"How about some gumbo?" Tiana suggested as she tied a leaf around her waist like an apron.

"Mm, sounds delicious." Darla smiled.

"Want some help making it?" Atticus asked as he made his own apron.

"Of course." Tiana accepted.

"That'll do." Louis smiled, then bit his lip in even more pain.

"Sounds delicious," Naveen sat by a mushroom to make as his dinner table. "I'll start with a pre-dinner cocktail and something to nibble on while I wait, thanks."

"Oh, no you don't," Patch said as he picked him up and put him over to the mushrooms. "You can mince the mushrooms."

"D-D-D-Do what?!" Naveen stuttered as Tiana handed him a sharp rock to use as a knife.

"Mince the mushrooms!" Tiana commanded. "Hop to it!"

Darla giggled at that saying since they were frogs now.

"Little ridiculous..." Naveen groaned as he was forced into labor.

"Are you mincing?" Tiana called.

"Alright, relax!" Naveen snapped and poked the mushroom with his blade.

"This should be a good pot." Atticus said as he carried a hollow pumpkin.

"Wow, you sure are strong." Tiana smiled.

"It puts bread on the table." Atticus smiled back.

"Rye or pumpernickel?" Darla asked before laughing at her own bad joke. 

"No more SpongeBob for you..." Atticus shook his head.

"Who?" Tiana asked, confused.

"Nothing." Atticus said rather quickly as he put the pumpkin down.

Tiana then made a fire for the 'pot' and glanced over to Naveen. "I don't think mincing's working out for him."

"You better teach him how to mince." Atticus said.

"Watch the food, K?" Tiana walked off.

Atticus nodded and checked over the pot. Tiana then decided to show Naveen how it was done.

"Smart thinking." Darla whispered to Atticus.

Atticus smirked to her. "Hope ya like gumbo, Little Missy."

"I think I will." Darla smiled.

Atticus chuckled to her.

Cherry was still coming by and trying to look for where her conscience was leading her. "This better be worth it!"

'Oh, trust me, it will be.' Her conscience said.

Cherry panted as they came up to a tree and looked up to see a boat inside of it.

'We have reached our destination.' Her conscience said.

"A boat in a tree?" Cherry asked strangely.

'Yep.' Her conscience said.

'Uh... Hello?" Cherry called out to the boat. "Anyone up there?!"

A light was soon turned on.

"Um, hello?" Cherry blinked. 

Soon the door of the boat opened up and someone came out. Cherry blinked and saw a very aged woman with white clothing.

"Who's there?!" the woman called out.

"Uhh..." Cherry blinked. 

"Well?! I don't have all night!" The woman called out.

"Uhh... Can you come down?" Cherry called to her. "I hate climbing!"

"Oh, you young people these days..." the woman muttered. 

"This is the person I'm supposed to see?" Cherry asked her conscience.

'That's right.' Cherry's conscience replied.

Cherry was suddenly up in the house boat and looked around.

"You sure look hungry, child..." the woman said.

"Actually, I'm looking for some frogs, have you seen any?" Cherry asked. 

"Hmm... Was one of them strong and another one younger than all three of them with one frog angry with another frog?" The woman asked. "With a dog?"

"Yes!" Cherry replied. "YES!!!"

"I don't see much, I'm a blind woman." the woman chuckled.

Cherry then flopped.

"But I did see them." the woman then said.

"Say wha?" Cherry glanced oddly. 

"Yep." The woman nodded.

"I... I don't get it..." Cherry blinked before a spoon was shoved into her mouth.

"Try this for me, will ya, child?" the woman cooed.

Cherry blinked and she panted as she instantly felt hot and yelled out as she ran around like her mouth was on fire.

"Too much hot sauce." the woman suggested. 

"Ya think?!" Cherry glared.

"Oh, you simmer down, it'll be okay." the woman slapped her on the back.

"My spine..." Cherry groaned and looked to be in pain. "This is my great-grandmother?" she then asked herself. "Ooh, boy..." 

"You remind me of my grandchildren," the woman chuckled. "Always curious and sticking their noses in other business."

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed. 

'Yep, this is your great-grandmother.' Her conscience said.

"Aw, ain't ya precious?" the woman then pinched her cheek and wagged it. "We haven't been properly introduced, they call me Mama Odie."

"Um... Hello, Mama Odie... My name's Cherry..." Cherry rubbed her cheek then. "I know this sounds crazy, but I'm looking for my friends who have been turned into frogs, and--" She then saw that Mama Odie had fallen asleep. "Seriously...?" she droned then.

A snake then slithered around.

"Eh, nice snake..." Cherry smiled nervously. 

"Huh? Oh, don't worry about him; Juju don't got any fangs." Mama Odie said as she woke up.

Cherry calmed down then. "Oh, okay."

The snake then wrapped around Cherry and squeezed her.

"GAH!" Cherry grunted and wheezed.

"He's very affectionate though." Mama Odie then said.

"I see!" Cherry gasped. 

"Anyway, you were saying?" Mama Odie smiled.

"Um... Well..." Cherry stuttered. "I don't exactly know why, but my friends have been turned into frogs..." 

"Sounds like one of them was messin' with the Shadow Man." Mama Odie said.

"Well, we did meet this guy who had friends on the other side." Cherry replied. 

"Oh, no, please don't tell me that you made a deal with him." Mama Odie begged.

"I might have...." Cherry bit her fingertips nervously.

"Ooh, child, that was very, very bad!" Mama Odie scolded. "He was always such a stubborn child... He used to be so sweet until one day he learned the dark side of voodoo magic."

"You sound like you know about about this Shadow Man." Cherry commented. 

"Indeed I do." Mama Odie nodded.

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed about Mama Odie.

"Now, let's go find your friends." Mama Odie said.

Cherry nodded in agreement with the estranged woman.


	12. Chapter 12

Back with the others...

Ray was telling the others one of his jokes as they shared some gumbo together and once he finished, they all shared a laugh together. 

"Anyone up for seconds?" Atticus asked once they finished their first bowl together.

"Me!" Darla beamed.

Atticus chuckled to her. "Alright, anyone else?"

"That was magnificent!" Naveen praised, going toward Tiana. "You truly have a gift." his hand then touched hers and she blushed slightly.

"Well, thank you." Tiana blushed while smiling.

"There she is..." Ray gasped as he looked into the distance. "The sweetest firefly in all of existence."

"Evangeline?" Darla asked.

"I wanna meet this girl," Louis smiled as he licked his lips. "Where she at?"

"How can you miss her?" Ray asked, then flew up at the sky to the brightest star in the night sky everyone sees before they go to bed. "She's glowing her light right up there in front of y'all."

"Ohh," Atticus smiled, now understanding. "Yeah, we can see her."

Tiana and Naveen looked to each other nervously as Ray started to sing. Louis was about to say something until Tiana, Naveen, and Atticus stopped him.

"But, I don't see a firefly..." Darla spoke up. "I see a star."

Atticus quickly covered her mouth and then started to whisper something to her. Darla glanced at him, then she settled down as Ray sang to his 'beloved'. There was some French and Naveen translated it to Tiana, but she seemed to mistake it for him attempting to woo her.

"He's just translating what Ray is singing to Evangeline." Atticus whispered to Tiana.

"Mm-hmm..." Tiana replied.

Ray smiled to the star he believed was his true love.

"Naveen, why don't you dance with Tiana?" Atticus whispered to Naveen.

Naveen looked shy about that offer, but he came over to Tiana and offered to dance wit her, but she turned away, telling him that she didn't dance and never did.

"Don't give up," Atticus told Naveen. "This reminds me of when my friend Danny tried to get Sawyer to dance with him."

"I think I have a way to get her to dance." Naveen said.

"Try it, Mr. Romantic." Atticus smirked.

Naveen pulled Tiana over to him. "If I can mince, you can dance." 

The others smiled to that and Louis even played his horn low to the beat. Atticus and Darla sighed as they wished they had someone to dance with themselves, but they then decided to dance together to fill the void. And where it sort of worked.

"Sorry." Atticus said.

"That's okay, it's just I expected my first dance to be with the boy of my dreams." Darla replied.

Atticus then had a great idea. Darla continued to dance with her brother, but then took a break as Tiana and Naveen danced to Ray's love song about 'Evangeline'.

"Looks like the dance is working." Darla smiled.

Atticus then secretly used his crystal powers and created a boy the same age as Darla, only as a frog.

The boy then tapped Darla on her shoulder and she looked over to him before bowing. "May I have this dance?"

Darla giggled, not even questioning where the boy came from. "Yes, you may."

The two then soon danced together as Naveen and Tiana were dancing. Atticus smiled as he did something nice for his little sister, but had a sinking feeling that something bad was going to happen once this was all over.

Soon, the song ended and so did the dancing.

"Lottie's getting herself one heck of a dance partner," Tiana smiled apologetically to Naveen. "We best get pushing on." she then hopped away into the forest and Naveen sighed to that.

"So close." Atticus said.

Naveen sighed as he then looked down, but he was then instantly swiped away. "Tiana!"

"Uh-oh." Atticus frowned.

"Atticus!" Darla gasped.

"Don't worry, I'm coming!" Atticus called before hopping to the rescue.

Patch finished off some more gumbo, then saw what was going on and rushed to help in any way that he could. Tiana, Ray, and Louis rushed off to do the same thing. Shadows were dragging along Naveen and Darla.

"NOW!" Mama Odie's voice called.

There were then bright lights which seemed to kill off the shadows instantly. And where Naveen and Darla were each soon set free.

"Not bad for a 197-year-old blind woman," Mama Odie chuckled before blowing out the fire on her stick and put her hands on her hips as she examined the group. "Now which one of you naughty children have been messin' with the Shadow Man?"

Louis soon pointed at Naveen who smiled sheepishly.

"Child, are these your friends?!" Mama Odie called out.

Cherry walked over and saw the group. "Yeah, that's them... Don't know about that alligator though..."

"He's a new friend of ours." Darla said.

"Come on, guys." Cherry gestured for her friends to follow.

They were then inside Mama Odie's place after finding a way to get inside.


	13. Chapter 13

"We're so glad we found you, Mama Odie," Tiana spoke up. "Ray and Louis here have been telling us all about you. We've been traveling quite a long way and you can't imagine what we been through and we..." she then shuddered as she walked by a jar with blinking eyes and a pair of teeth. "And we heard that you--"

"Juju!" Mama Odie called out for her snake.

The green scaled and pink-eyed snake slithered over.

"It's okay, he doesn't have fangs." Cherry told the others as they seemed nervous of the snake.

"Come on over here, you bad boy." Mama Odie cackled to her snake.

"That's a relief." Darla sighed.

Mama Odie then appeared to be smothering her snake which made everyone cringe in slight disgust.

"Yuck." Atticus winced.

"You love old Odie, don't ya?" Mama Odie smiled to Juju. "Oh, good to see you again, Ray-Ray," she then said to the firefly as she used her snake as a cane. "How's your grandmama?"

"She's fine," Ray replied. "Got in a little trouble for flashing the neighbors again."

"Again?" Darla asked.

Ray chuckled innocently while Atticus looked sheepish.

"Cherry, I can't believe you're here." Atticus said to his best friend.

"And I can't belong you're a frog." Cherry picked him up in her hands.

"It's because of the dark voodoo magic." Atticus said.

"You kids want some candy?" Mama Odie held out her hand and the contents were a stone, pebbles, lint, a house key, but only one piece of candy and a moth.

The others declined in slight disgust.

"Now, that's too bad," Mama Odie replied and took the piece of candy for herself. "It's a special candy. Would've turned y'all frogs human." she then replied as she swallowed the candy.

"What?!" Darla asked out of shock.

Mama Odie then laughed. "I'm just messing with y'all."

"How on Earth did you know we wanted to be turned back--" Tiana asked, but then saw the old woman instantly asleep.

"It happens sometimes," Cherry told the others. "She's an old woman after all."

"True." Atticus nodded.

"Erm... Mama Odie?" Naveen tried to wake the woman up.

"Juju!" Mama Odie then suddenly rushed to a tub. "Why didn't you tell me my gumbo was burning?"

"You sure this is her?" Darla asked Ray.

"The same blind voodoo lady who lives in a boat in a tree in the bayou?" Louis added in.

"Pretty sure." Ray shrugged.

"That's comforting." Atticus sighed.

Tiana, Naveen, and Darla hopped over to Mama Odie as she focused on her cooking.

"Can't believe this," Mama Odie grumbled. "Got to do everything around here."

"Um, Mama Odie, if we could just have a minute of your time." Darla said.

"Taste this!" Mama Odie then shoved her spoon in one of their mouths while Cherry backed away from it due to her last time having some of the gumbo.

"Hmm." Darla hummed as she tried it.

"Well?" Mama Odie asked.

Darla smacked her lips. "I'm no chef, but I would try a couple of shots of Tabasco."

"Juju!" Mama Odie called out.

Juju came by the woman's side and dipped a Tabasco bottle into the gumbo mix a couple of times.

"That should do it." Darla said.

"That's got some zing into it!" Mama Odie smiled before looking to the frogs. "That's just what I needed! Now, did y'all figure out what you need?"

"It's just like you said, Mama Odie," Tiana replied. "We need to be human." 

"You don't got the sense y'all were born with," Mama Odie scoffed. "You want to be human, but you're blind with what you need!"

"That doesn't make any sense." Darla said.

"What we want, what we need..." Naveen agreed. "Isn't that the same thing?"

Mama Odie whacked him on the head with her spoon. "Isn't that the same thing? No!" she then walked aside with a laugh before singing. "You listen to your mama, now."

"I have a feeling there's going to be some singing coming up." Darla said.

And in fact there was as Mama Odie sang while showing off her magical skills. Cherry actually liked the beat and clapped along to it as Mama Odie and her friends sang about digging a little deeper.

'This song is pretty catchy.' Atticus thought to himself.

Darla even began to sing along. Mama Odie then told Naveen how he didn't need money to make him happy. And where she soon showed him what he really needed.

"Miss Froggy?" Mama Odie went to Tiana as she was dancing.

"Ma'am?" Tiana replied.

"Might I have a word?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You're a hard one, that's what I heard." Mama Odie then took Tiana over to the side to give her a turn.

"I wonder what she's going to show Tiana." Darla whispered.

"Hopefully something good." Atticus replied.

Tiana seemed to understand what was going on for now.

"Well Miss Froggy, do you understand what you need now, child?" Mama Odie asked as the song ended.

"Yes I do, Mama Odie," Tiana replied. "I need to dig a little deeper and work even harder to get my restaurant."

This made everybody groan and face-palm her.

"Alright you guys," Ray said next to the green snake. "One more time! It don't matter what you look like!~ It don't... Nobody's gonna sing with Ray... Okay."

"So can you help us be turned back human?" Darla asked Mama Odie.

"There is only one way." Mama Odie said as she led the way.

The others followed her to her 'pot'.

"Gumbo, gumbo, in the pot," Mama Odie chanted as she stirred her delicious brew. "We need a princess, what you go?"

The broth stirred and shined to an image of Charlotte sleeping in her bedroom.

"What the?" Atticus asked, confused.

"Lottie?" Tiana asked. "But she's not a princess!"

"Hush up and look at the gumbo!" Mama Odie scolded.

There was a knock at Charlotte's bedroom door and her father came in, dressed like a king with a diamond tiara on a pillow. Charlotte woke up and squealed as she saw her father and wrapped her arms around him.

"Of course." Darla smiled.

"It makes sense now," Cherry said as she remembered something. "Mr. LaBouff is the King of Mardi Gras and that makes Charlotte a princess!"

"Does that count?" Naveen asked.

"Yes, it does," Mama Odie replied. "But 'til midnight when Mardi Gras is over."

"Oh, come on!" Atticus exclaimed.

"Froggy, you got 'til then to get that princess to kiss you," Mama Odie told Naveen and stirred to show the transformation of the group of frogs being human again after Charlotte's kiss. "Once she does, boom! Y'all turn human!"

"Midnight?" Cherry asked before muttering. "Why is it always midnight?"

"Well, we can get it done way before then." Cherry said.

"Like when Shrek turned human for Fiona." Darla remembered.

Cherry glanced at her. "Um... Yeah... Hopefully we don't have Shrek adventures..." she muttered, but knowing the way her life was, it was very possible she would meet the ogre in the near future.

"How do we get there in time?" Darla asked.

"I have an idea." Atticus said.

"Yikes." Cherry deadpanned.

"Just listen to me, okay?" Atticus said to her. "When have my plans ever failed?"

"Do I have to answer that question?" Cherry groaned.

"Oh, come on, Atticus's plans never fail." Darla smiled.

Cherry rolled her eyes. "Alright, Smarty Pants, what's the plan?"

Atticus began to tell them how they all would get back in time. Everyone listened closely to Atticus's plan since they almost never fail. And where it sounded simple. Atticus smirked while Cherry folded her arms.

"How'd you get so smart and wise?" Darla asked her big brother.

"I've been reading books ever since I can remember." Atticus said.

"Nerd." Cherry smirked.

"You read books too!" Atticus glanced to her.

"I know." Cherry just laughed.

"Anyway, reading is a great way to expand your mind/brain." Atticus said.

"You sound like the school librarian." Darla smirked.

"Okay, come on, guys, let's get going so we can make you all human again." Cherry said.

"Agreed." Naveen nodded.

They all then parted ways with Mama Odie and went off to go through with Atticus's plan. Once they arrived at their transportation, all of them got on it.

It was a party boat with loud jazz music playing that was gently flowing along to make it back to New Orleans. Once the coast was clear, Louis signaled the others and they all came on, but he then panicked once he saw shadows of possible hunters. 

"They've got guns!" he then froze like a statue with his trumpet, but the humans were just revealed to be musicians in animal costumes. And once the musicians saw Louis, they thought he was just another musician in an alligator costume. They even got him to play his horn and since he was talented, he was in the band and was allowed to play with them and it felt like a dreaming wish come true for him.

"I can't miss this!" Ray praised, watching Louis leave. "Little Louis is gonna finally play with the big boys!" he decided to watch for himself.

"Ahem." Atticus cleared his throat with a smirk as he saw Tiana and Naveen close together.

The two then let go of each other and exchanged nervous chuckles with each other.

"They are falling in love." Darla whispered.

"Yes, it seems so..." Atticus quietly nodded back.

"Naveen, you comin'?" Tiana asked as she hopped ahead to catch up with Ray to watch Louis in action.

"Oh," Naveen smiled. "I'll catch up with you later."

"You two go on ahead." Atticus said to Darla and Patch.

Darla and Patch nodded as they followed Tiana. Naveen looked down to see a stray wire and a lost pearl necklace from the celebration. He took both and in time he had made an engagement ring for Tiana. He saw it could easily slide through a finger and he put it in a walnut-shell and closed it to propose to the girl with. He then sighed and looked up at the night sky.

"You okay, Naveen?" Atticus asked.

"Oh! Atticus, I did not see you there." Naveen looked surprised.

"Does this have something to do with you asking Tiana an important question?" Atticus asked with a smile.

"Um... Well..." Naveen blushed slightly. "I'm sorry, but I just can't marry Miss Charlotte any longer. I'll find another way for Cherry to get a restaurant. I'll get a job... Maybe two... Or maybe three."

"Whoa! You must really love Tiana." Atticus smiled.

"Uh, yeah, I suppose I do." Naveen smiled sheepishly back.

"Yes, I knew it!" Atticus cheered.

"What's this here then?" Ray flew over.

"Naveen's gonna ask Tiana to marry him." Atticus said.

"Ooh, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" Ray cheered himself. "Y'all are gonna have the best tadpoles ever! I can't wait to tell Miss Frog!" he then went to tell Tiana the news.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Atticus said as he stopped the firefly.

"Ray, no, I must tell her, alone." Naveen said to the firefly.

"Right," Ray smirked and then gave Naveen a congratulatory noogie. "You rascal!"

"You can do it, Naveen." Atticus smiled.

Naveen looked hopeful.

Later that night, Naveen was going to propose. He then decided to show a surprise for Tiana to pop the question gently to her. And where a black butterfly even thought that Naveen wearing him would be a nice touch. He represented a bow tie.

"I should give you guys some privacy, but I really wanna see how this turns out." Atticus smiled.

"Well, okay." Naveen said.

"I'll try not to interrupt." Atticus promised.

"I hope she likes these." Naveen smiled at the stuff he had together to surprise Tiana with.

"I'm sure she will be surprised." Atticus smiled.

Naveen smiled back, looking very hopeful as it got darker and darker as they traveled. And where he soon went to get Tiana.

Darla was watching the view as she sat on Patch's back and Cherry watched with them as she took deep breaths to calm down her seasickness.

"You going to be okay, Cherry?" Darla asked.

"I think so..." Cherry said. "My stomach feels like it's turning, but I don't think I'm gonna throw up this time."

"I hate to see you get sick like that, you should take medication." Patch advised.

Cherry shrugged. "If I can find one."

Patch soon used his magic and where a frog-sized medicine for seasickness appeared in Cherry's hands. Cherry took the medicine. Patch then gave her a glass of water to take the medicine with. Cherry mumbled a thanks to the puppy and took the medication.

"You're welcome." Patch smiled.

Cherry looked a little bit better than before as she looked out way into the sea.

"Oh, it's so beautiful out here..." Darla smiled. "I just wanna travel the world someday."

"Maybe someday, you will." Patch smiled.

"Where would you go if you could travel?" Cherry asked.

"Places like Europe and Paris..." Darla smiled. "The City of Lights and Love..."

Darla smiled as she dreamt about her future.


	14. Chapter 14

Later, as it got darker, Atticus went to a hidden spot as Naveen had Tiana meet him so they could have some alone time together and he could pop the question to her. And where she would be in for a surprise when she would get to their spot.

"Where are you taking me?" Tiana asked Naveen as he was leading her someplace.

"I just wanted to show you a little something," Naveen replied as they got on top of the captain board. "To celebrate our last night as frogs."

Tiana smiled at him before she looked surprised at what was waiting for them. Atticus smiled as he stayed where he was hidden and kept his comments to himself so he wouldn't ruin their moment. There was a tiny bucket with a small champagne bottle and lavender flower. There was even a little table set up for them both and a candle stick.

"Oh, my... No one has ever done anything like this for me." Tiana smiled before she giggled as she saw Naveen wearing a black butterfly like a bowtie.

"It's a little too much, huh?" Naveen shrugged, then waved the butterfly off. "Thanks, Beau."

"Well, I thought it was a nice touch." the black butterfly snorted before flying away to leave the two star-crossed frogs alone.

"Yeah, not so much." Atticus whispered to himself.

"Pretend you didn't see that," Naveen said nervously before taking Tiana like a 'gentlefrog' to sit her down. "Please, please, sit down."

"What's this?" Tiana asked, getting comfortable and seeing a silver dish covered.

"Ta-da!" The Maldonian Prince lifted the top off to show all sorts of minced foods which had been prepared professionally.

"You minced!" Tiana smiled.

Atticus smiled proudly. "All by himself."

"I did!" Naveen set himself down. "You have had quite an influence on me, which is amazing, because I have dated thousands of women," he then stopped himself and tried to make this topic sound appropriate. "No! Like two or three, just other women... Anyway just listen... You're not much more different you know," he then set his hand down to get his engagement ring for Tiana. "You are practically one of the guys... No, no, no! You're not a guy, let me start again!" he then hid the walnut behind his back anxiously as the girl grew more suspicious and offended. He then slid against the table and fell downward. "I'm not myself tonight, Tiana, sorry that was loud... This is a disaster..."

Atticus winced and cringed at the results and even covered his eyes.

"No, it's cute." Tiana giggled.

Naveen chuckled back, then took out the shell. "Tiana, I--"

"There it is!" Tiana looked over and saw the sugar mill passing by them as they were closer back to her home.

"Keep going." Atticus whispered.

Tiana and Naveen then talked about the restaurant plans and Tiana mentioned that her father had died before he could see her dream come true of owning the sugar mill and making it into a hot spot for many hungry customers to come. Atticus could see that the two were now getting along.

"Can't you just picture it?" Tiana got excited. "All lit up like the Fourth of July."

"Yes, jazz pouring out every window!" Naveen added.

"It should be elegant."

"But you got to keep it loose, though. Got to let it swing."

"Couldn't agree more." Atticus whispered to himself.

Tiana then asked Naveen if he knew a good music player and agreed to let him play at her restaurant as live entertainment. The two had a deep talk until the port of New Orleans was ashore before Naveen could tell Tiana how he really felt about her. 

"I'll go round-up the boys..." Naveen said with a smirk. He then took his walnut-shell and left to get Louis, Ray, and the others that came with them on this venture back home.

Tiana sighed as he left and buried her face in her hands. She felt like there was something more to that, but according to her heart and what she knew, she was only friends with Naveen and nothing more, at least she thought that. She then looked up at the evening and glowing star in the far distance.

"Evangeline," she spoke. "I've always been so sure about what I wanted, but now I... What do I do? Please tell me."

"Yes! She's in love with Naveen!" Atticus cheered quietly. "I've got to go tell him."

Unfortunately, the others didn't know that Naveen was being held hostage and tormented by Dr. Faciler's friends on the other side with Cherry. The two were then taken away into the darkness. Darla groaned as she held herself and looked a little sick.

"You look pale, I better get Atticus, you hang tight." Patch told the girl before rushing off.

Darla nodded, she then looked to her hand as he left and then gasped as it looked like it was being erased from existence. "Oh, no..." she gasped as she soon hid her erased hand.

In New Orleans, Charlotte was in a pink wedding dress and was in front of a small house and knocked on the door frantically. "Prince Naveen, darling," she called. "You better hurry up. Don't wanna be late for our Mardi Gras wedding."

"Umm... Getting dressed!" Lawrence called from behind the door. "Just a few more minutes, my dearest heart!" he was in his underwear, still in his natural form instead of Naveen's.

"Okay, honey lamb," Charlotte said back, about to leave. "We'll be waiting in the Packard. Daddy, start the car!" she then stormed off with impatience.

"Good heavens, I'm doomed!" Lawrence gasped before he winced in pain from being hit by one of Dr. Faciler's cards. "Ow!"

"No, Larry!" Dr. Faciler snapped. "I'm the one who's doomed unless we get that frog's blood in--"

They then felt the house shake. The two looked over suddenly. The fireplace was rumbling and the fire seemed to dance. The friends were coming as they had Naveen and Cherry held hostage.

"Let us go!" Cherry glared.

"We are back in business, friends!" Dr. Facilier laughed. 

"Get your filthy hands off of me!" Naveen struggled, then saw his faithful servant in shock and betrayal. "Lawrence!"

"Oh, hold still, your Excellence." Lawrence grinned evilly as he took out an amulet to take Naveen's DNA.

'Are you gonna make us, you traitor?" Dr. Faciler glared back. 

"Oh, do your worst, I dare you!" Cherry growled.

"What are you going to do to her?" Lawrence asked.

"I ought to teach you a lesson..." Dr. Faciler scowled at Cherry.

"I'd like to see you try," Cherry glared. "Atticus is my best friend and he's as strong as a god and is the nephew of King Sombra!"

"I know." Dr. Faciler said.

"So you can't hurt me!" Cherry glared. 

"Oh, can't I?" Dr. Facilier taunted.

"Do your worst, I double dare you." Cherry narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, I will." Dr. Faciler said.

"Bring it on!" Cherry narrowed her eyes as they seemed to turn red as blood.

Lawrence started to get nervous. Dr. Facilier sneered as he was going to deal with the perky goth once and for all.

The boat stopped as it made it to New Orleans and it was time for Mardi Gras. Everyone was getting off the boat.

"Ray, have you seen Naveen?" Tiana asked the firefly.

Ray began to get excited as he thought Naveen had successfully proposed to her. "Look at you! Where's your ring?"

"What are you talking about?" Tiana glanced at him.

"Well, if Froggy Boy didn't say anything, I'm not gonna say anything, because old Ray's sealed up, tight as a drum," Ray replied in denial. "You're not getting anything out of me, no!"

"Ray?" Tiana smirked.

"Okay, Frog Dude ain't gonna marry Charlotte, he's gonna marry you!" Ray gave in. "Soon as he gets himself kissed, you're both gonna be human and he's gonna find a job to get you that restaurant," he then explained as Tiana smiled delightful that Naveen would do that for her. The firefly then covered his mouth. "I said too much, didn't I?"

"You said just enough, Ray!" Tiana smiled as she hugged him before looking up at Evangeline. "Thank you, Evangeline."

Ray and Tiana were then going off to find Naveen.

"I don't feel so good..." Darla looked white as a sheet and looked like she was going to fade away.

Patch and Atticus soon rushed over to her.

"Wow, Darla, you're really pale..." Atticus frowned.

"W-We have to hurry." Darla said.

Atticus carried Darla in his arms and climbed onto Patch's back. "Come on, boy, take us to the others and fast!"

"You got it!" Patch nodded as he then ran with them on his back as they passed by the people who were celebrating Mardi Gras.

Tiana was hopping around, looking for a particular parade float.

"Wait, froggy, stop!" Ray tried to catch up. "What are we looking for again?"

"You keep your eyes out for the biggest, gaudiest float with a Mardi Gras princess about to kiss herself a--" Tiana said, but then stopped as she saw the La Bouff float. Charlotte was in her wedding princess gown and Eli was in his king outfit. She gasped as she saw Naveen was human and in a groom's prince uniform. "Frog..." the girl then felt heartbroken and betrayed.

Darla started to feel even worse as they got closer.

"Hang in there, Darla..." Atticus said softly as he tried not to cry for his little sister.

Patch soon stopped as he saw something that none of them thought would be happening. Darla groaned as she looked incredibly sick.

"Darla!" Atticus begged. "Stay with me!"

"We have to stop this wedding." Patch said.

"Darla..." Atticus started to cry. "She won't answer me..." 

Patch frowned as he saw as it looked like Darla was going to disappear from existence.

"I'm not giving up on her." Atticus said.

Patch looked inspired by Atticus's dedication and determination when it came to his little sister. Darla may had been adopted, but she was really good with the family as their own and the family felt the same way. Atticus soon flew up to the float and where he saw Ray going to the same place. He wiped his eyes as he flew up with his heart breaking with Darla's life being at stake. Luckily he still had his abilities even though he was stuck as a frog for now.

'I'm not going to lose my little sister.' Atticus thought to himself.

Tiana ran away to the cemetery as she couldn't believe that 'Naveen' was going to marry Charlotte.

Atticus continued to fly up to Naveen to stop him from marrying Charlotte. He then landed on the prince's shoulder. 'Naveen, what do you think you're doing?!" he whispered loudly into the prince's ear as the reverend did the service.

"Huh? Who said that?" Naveen asked with a different voice.

Atticus noticed something off about this Naveen. Naveen glared and then shoved the frog off of his shoulder. Atticus then hit the float floor and left a mark against it.

"LET ME OUT OF HERE AT ONCE!" Naveen's voice called from inside a box right behind Atticus.

"Wait, Naveen?" Atticus asked, confused as he looked inside the box.

Naveen was inside the box, still in his frog form. "Atticus, is that you?"

"Yes it's me, Naveen; how are you inside the box while out here with a different voice?" Atticus asked.

"That's not me, that's my servant Lawrence, he's changed into me somehow, I think that's why the Shadow Man took my blood when he told our fortunes!" Naveen replied.

"Do you know where Cherry is? She wasn't with us when we got off the boat." Atticus replied back while using his strength to get the locked box open.

"I thought I saw her earlier, but I'm not sure." Naveen stepped back so Atticus would have enough room to use his abilities to save him.

"We'll have to find her, she's my best friend, but not until after you stop this wedding." Atticus said as he used all of his strength and broke the lock, opening the box.

"I have to!" Naveen replied as he then leapt out once the box was open. And where he stopped Lawrence from kissing Charlotte which would seal the marriage.

"NOOO!" Dr. Faciler yelled out as he had a voodoo doll of Charlotte's father and was about to stab the heart with a pin. Something was moving around in his pocket. This was not good for him.

"That's for taking away my little sister and best friend..." Atticus snarled.

Darla started to feel better as the marriage had gotten interrupted. She seemed to be getting color back in her face, but not too much just yet. Patch stayed by her side and kept an eye on her for Atticus.

Atticus saw Lawrence going inside the church with Naveen in his hands and decided to follow after him.

"After him!" Naveen commanded.

Atticus nodded and went after Lawrence while Charlotte was obviously not happy. Patch soon caught Cherry's scent and saw that it was coming from Dr. Faciler.

"Let me go," Cherry glared to Dr. Faciler. "You might as well know this now, but the others and I are from the future and I once recall hearing 'And he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit'... I'm sure your friends won't appreciate if I destroyed this thing..." she then took out the amulet.

"Try to smash it." Dr. Faciler smirked.

"Famous last words..." Cherry said, then lifted the amulet high. "Hi...YAH!" she then threw it down to crush it. But to her surprise, it didn't crash to the ground and where she got her answer why as Dr. Faciler's shadow had caught it in time.

Dr. Facilier laughed at her.

"Oh, clever, are we?" Cherry looked very irked right now.

Dr. Faciler soon got inside the church.

"Naveen! Prince Naveen!" Charlotte pounded on the doors alone. "Your shy and retiring bride-to-be is getting antsy!" she then gave up and slammed the doors open to see Lawrence turned in his true form, feeling terrifyingly nervous.

"Hello, darling." Lawrence turned with a nervous grin and wave.

Charlotte screamed as she saw the supposed man of her dreams was nothing more but an illusion. Lawrence screamed as well and ran off with tears feeling he'll never get what he wants.

"Huh? Where's Atticus and Dr. Faciler and Cherry?" Patch asked.

Charlotte looked down to see Patch coming with Naveen and Darla.

"Grandma!" Darla cried out.

"Grandma?" Charlotte raised an eyebrow, slightly offended, thinking Darla thought she was much older than she really was.

"Um, Charlotte, I think it's time you know more about us, but first; we have to find Naveen." Patch said.

"How old do you think I am, little lady?!" Charlotte glared at Darla. 

"It's part of the explanation, but we'll need Naveen first." Patch replied.

"Over here!" Naveen's voice called out and where they saw where he was.

"Naveen!" Patch called out. "Come over here! I need to make sure Darla doesn't get sick!"

"Um, okay?" Naveen said, confused as he got into Charlotte's view.

"Now before you do anything, please let him speak." Patch said to Charlotte.

Charlotte looked startled to see the frog.

"Allow me to introduce myself," Naveen smiled to the blonde woman. "I am Prince Naveen--"

SLAM!

"Of Maldonia..." Naveen finished weakly after Charlotte had bashed him with a song book.

"Did you say 'prince'?" Charlotte gasped.

"Yep, he did." Patch nodded.

Before anything else, Darla and Patch explained why she called Charlotte 'Grandma' and Naveen then explained of why he needed her to kiss him. Tiana found that Lawrence was being put under arrest by Eli by a couple of cops.


	15. Chapter 15

"Goodness gracious..." Charlotte replied after the information was told to her and she was trying to absorb it all before she would kiss Naveen as they were on the other side of the church as midnight was nearly minutes away. "This is so much to absorb. Let me see if I got this right. If I kiss you before midnight, you and Tiana and anyone else who is a frog will turn human again and Darla is actually my future granddaughter and you all were sent here from the future to bring her back to life so she doesn't disappear from existence in y'all's timeline? And then Naveen and Tiana gonna get ourselves married and live happily ever after, the end, but I'll have my own future prince waiting for me who is Darla's grandfather?"

"Exactly." Patch nodded.

Unknowing to the others, Tiana was standing behind a pillar and listening in on the discussion.

"Because Tiana," Naveen continued as he looked up at the night sky and put a hand on his heart. "She is my Evangeline..."

Atticus and Cherry both were with Tiana as she had heard Naveen say those words.

"Anything you want, shuagh," Charlotte smiled, applying her favorite lipstick and puckered her lips a few times. "Pucker up, Buttercup."

Naveen seemed reluctant to kiss Charlotte, but he puckered his lips to go through with it as she leaned forward like in hers and Tiana's favorite childhood bedtime story.

'Here we go.' Darla thought to herself.

Naveen was hesitant about kissing Charlotte, but was willing to go through with it.

"Wait!" Tiana suddenly called out.

"Tiana." Naveen said as he turned around to see the female frog along with Atticus and Cherry.

"Tiana?" Charlotte looked surprised to see her best friend as a frog.

"Don't do this." Tiana pleaded Naveen as she hopped over.

"I have to do this," Naveen said. "And we're running out of time."

"I won't let you!" Tiana begged.

"It's the only we to get you your dream!" Naveen reminded.

"My dream?" Tiana sighed. "My dream wouldn't be complete without you in it."

This surprised Naveen before he turned his attention back to Tiana.

Tiana was sincere and smiling to the prince, she had fallen in love with him over their crazy adventure together as frogs. "I love you, Naveen."

'Yes! I knew it!' Atticus thought to himself.

"Amphibians and all?" Naveen asked as he took Tiana's hands.

"Amphibians and all." Tiana confirmed.

Charlotte sniffled and wiped a tear from one of her blue diamond eyes. She couldn't believe her best friend was in love and finally happy. "All my life, I read about true love in fairy tales, and Tia, you found it!"

"Sure sure did." Darla smiled.

"I'll kiss him," Charlotte smiled. "For you, honey," she then leaned forward, picked up Naveen's slimy face. "No marriage required."

Before Charlotte and Naveen had a chance to swap spit, the clock had chimed 12:00 midnight. It was too late.

"No..." Darla said, devastated.

"Oh, my word!" Charlotte gasped. "Maybe that old clock's a little fast..." As the clock chimed, she then kissed Naveen, but nothing happened. She kissed him other parts of his face, but still nothing. "I'm so sorry..." she then set the frog prince down next to the others.

"It's okay." Atticus frowned.

"Guys! Guys!" Louis rushed over with something in his hands.

The others looked over and came to their gator friend who was in distress.

"Louis, what is it?" Darla asked.

"The Shadow Man laid down poor Ray." Louis knelt down to show the firefly in his hands.

"Oh, no..." Patch frowned.

"Ray..." Tiana sounded devastated for their friend.

"He's hurting awful bad." Louis knelt down to show them.

"There's gotta be a way to heal him." Patch said.

Ray wasn't dead quite yet, but his eyes were barely open and his whole body looked faded and weak. Louis gently laid the firefly down on a giant red leaf to rest. The gator had a sour frown on his face, but the firefly smiled back at him weakly. 

Ray then looked to see the others were still frogs. "Hey, Miss Froggy... How come you're still--"

"We're staying frogs, Ray." Tiana said.

"And we're staying together." Naveen concluded as he took her hand.

"Don't worry, I know a spell that can heal you." Atticus said to Ray.

"No, no, that's okay..." Ray replied softly. "Just seeing my friends happy is a special way to go."

"You sure?" Patch frowned.

"I'm sure..." Ray said softly. 

"Oh, Ray..." Darla's eyes itched as they formed tears. "Please... You can't leave us..."

"A-At least now I can be with Evangeline." Ray smiled softly.

"Is that why you want to go?" Patch asked.

"Yes... I'll miss you all, but I'll be in your hearts..." Ray promised.

"We'll always remember you, Ray." Darla frowned.

Ray smiled to them as he took his last breath and he then went onto the other side as he was no longer with them. This devastated them all. Louis cried harder than anyone else.

They even did Ray's funeral at the bayou. A lot of Ray's relatives came as it was a misty and foggy night that night. They even had lilies to fit with the theme of death. Louis carried everyone who couldn't fly on his back as they gave one last goodbye to the fallen firefly. Once they found the perfect place to set him down, they placed their lilies in the leaf that was being used as Ray's coffin. After everyone went on the dry land, Louis played a solemn tune on his horn for the service. Dr. Faciler may had been defeated and gone for good, but they still had lost their very good friend. Once the time was right, they soon let the leaf flow down the bayou.

Darla buried her face in Atticus's chest as she was crying more than everyone else who bore grave expressions or tried to hide their tears. Atticus held his little sister and allowed her to let it all out as this was an understandably tough time. Cherry even bore a grave face and where a tear slipped out. Patch looked up to Cherry in slight surprise, but his ears were dropped and his tail was totally still. Cherry slid off her glasses and covered her eyes. She then looked up and saw something surprising.

"Are you going to be okay, Darla?" Patch asked.

Darla sniffled once she settled down, but her eyes were now red and puffy due to crying so much. "I think so..."

"Everyone, look up." Cherry said.

The others then looked up with Cherry to see what she was going on about. And where they were surprised as they saw a brand new star appear. It was right next to the evening star.

"It's like the second star to the right." Cherry said to Atticus.

"Yeah, it really does." Atticus nodded.

"And straight on 'til morning..." Cherry and Atticus then said to each other, remembering their adventure with Peter Pan in Never Land.

"Huh?" Tiana and Naveen asked, confused.

Darla may not had been there for that adventure, but she gestured for Tiana and Naveen to let it go for now.


	16. Chapter 16

A while after the funeral, Tiana and Naveen were going to get married and they asked Mama Odie to preform the service and she happily agreed. And where the day they were getting married was a beautiful sunny day. It was a very nice day in the bayou. All the animals were gathered all together to witness the wedding of Tiana and Naveen. Atticus, Cherry, Patch, and Darla were even there.

Mama Odie held a book and read from it with Juju by her side. "And so by the power vested in me," the old blind woman recited. "I now pronounce you, frog and wife. Get to it, Prince Froggy! Give your lovely bride some sugar!"

Naveen looked at Tiana. He had a white butterfly across his chest and Tiana had a tiny bouquet of flowers with a wedding veil over her head.

"Congratulations." the white butterfly said, flying off.

Naveen and Tiana soon kissed and where they started to glow along with Atticus, Darla, and Cherry. They all appeared to be dressed for a wedding now. Naveen and Tiana had a spring green tux with a bridal gown while Darla was a flower girl while Cherry was a bridesmaid, Patch was a ring bearer and Atticus was a best man. Mama Odie held Juju nice and tight while Louis cried cheerfully at the sight. Tiana and Naveen were surprised to see that they had turned human again. 

Mama Odie cackled as she saw the others were finally human again. "Like I told y'all, kissing a princess breaks the spell!"

"Of course! When Tiana married Naveen, she became a princess!" Darla smiled.

"You just kissed yourself a princess." Tiana said to Naveen.

"And I'm about to do it again." Naveen smirked before kissing her again as a human which made everybody in the bayou cheer.

"Let's make this wedding more official," Cherry said. "To the church!"

"Agreed, scenery change time!" Patch smiled as he soon did a Looney Tunes trick and pulled the corner of the scene and changed it to the church.

"I don't even know how that happened..." Louis blinked. He soon hid once he saw that there were other humans around, not wanting to scare them off.

The wedding was now official for Tiana and Naveen to get married and start their lives together. After it was final, the bridesmaids tried to catch the bouquet until Charlotte caught it and laughed wickedly.

"Oh, Grandma..." Darla sighed with a small smirk at her future grandmother.

"Should we stick around?" Patch asked.

"Just for a little bit." Atticus suggested.

"Okay." Patch replied.

A while later after the wedding, Tiana and Naveen were given the sugar mill by the Fenner Brothers after Louis had 'persuaded him' and Naveen's parents approved of this as did Eudora. It was a really good and happy ending for everybody. A while later, Travis found Charlotte and had a surprise for her. Darla was about to leave with the others, but she hid away so she could see this. Travis got down on one knee and proposed to Charlotte, asking for her hand in marriage.

'Please say yes, Grandma, please say yes.' Darla thought to herself.

"Oh, Travis Beaumont," Charlotte gushed with tears of joy in her eyes. "Of course I'll marry you!"

Travis smiled back as he then hugged Charlotte and spun her around joyfully. 

Darla cheered herself, then took out a picture and saw that her parents were appearing in the picture along with her big sister. "Yes!" she then smiled in victory.

"Ready to go now?" Patch asked the little girl.

"Yes, I am." Darla smiled as she then followed him so they could go back to where they were before this adventure.

The four of them were soon sent back to where they were before. Darla blinked as they were back at the Fudo house. Charlotte laughed as she was talking with Patrick and Emily.

Darla smiled and came up to her grandmother and hugged her. "I'm so glad to see you, I'd love to live with you, but I really like it here with my big brother, my big sister, my new parents..."

"I understand, honey," Charlotte replied. "I thought of this though, what if some days, we spend together? Some shopping, lunch, a movie..."

"That sounds lovely." Darla smiled.

"You don't have to come live with me, it seems like this is your home now," Charlotte smiled back. "So, would you like to spend some time with me that way?"

"Yes, please, Grandma!" Darla agreed.

"Oh, honey lamb, a favor?" Charlotte then asked.

"Yes, ma'am?" Darla replied.

"Could you call me 'Nana'?" Charlotte requested. "I like it better than 'Grandma'."

"Okay... Nana." Darla smiled.

"I think she feels that way because of when she met us as a teenager." Patch said.

Charlotte smiled sheepishly to that.

"Well, I like Nana too," Darla agreed. "And I would love to spend some time with you in the future."

"I'll look forward to it, I'll give you a little call in advance." Charlotte cooed to her granddaughter.

"Thanks, Nana." Darla smiled.

"You're welcome, shugah." Charlotte smiled back.

Charlotte decided to stay for dinner and she decided to also tell Darla all about her parents and what her life was like before the unfortunate event of her parents' death and Darla caught up with Charlotte and told her about how she had been adopted by LB Mammoth to become America's Sweetheart: Lover of Children and Animals, though she was actually a bit of a brat due to the lack of attention given by the man who wanted to be her father and she took it out on almost everybody else until she met Cherry and Atticus. And where the two started to get along quite nicely.

As they should have. Charlotte left her phone number and address for Darla and decided to get going. Darla was sad to see her biological grandmother go, but she was sure they would visit each other again real soon.

"We are family... Family... *gasp!*" Darla said before her eyes widened. "Family! My school project! I completely forgot!" She then remembered her adventure and where that gave her an idea. "'Scuse me!" she zipped off to her bedroom.

The others wondered what was with her until they remembered Darla's homework assignment.

The next day at the elementary school...

"And that's why I love my Aunt Anita and Uncle Roger very much out of anyone in my family, next to my parents of course," Amber concluded her report as she then went to take her seat with a curtsy to her classmates. "Thank you!"

Everyone in the classroom soon clapped.

"Thank you, Amber," the teacher smiled to her. "Now we will hear from Darla... Darla, you may come up now..."

Darla took a deep breath as she took her papers and came to the front of the classroom. "My family project is about my grandmother."

Everyone in the classroom looked interested about this. Darla smiled as she had grabbed their attention and began her report about her biological grandmother and why she was her favorite member of her family. The others wondered why they had not heard of this woman before, but they then remembered that Darla was adopted, but still had living family members such as her father's mother and her older sister who was one of the Hex Girls. And where the more she told them about her grandmother, the more interesting it got.

The End


End file.
